Editorial: Safe seats aren’t forever
Editorials, OpinionRight now it’s hard to imagine the Central Coast represented in Congress by someone other than Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, or Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara. And it’s hard to imagine Assembly districts safer than the ones won by Democrat Das Williams or Republican Jeff Gorrell. But the day is coming when, thanks to redistricting, congressional Read More →
Editorial: Memo to Abel: Keep political options open
Editorials, OpinionAs we watched him speed across the state in search of votes for a long-shot bid for statewide office, Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado’s passion for small business and the small-business owner left a big impression. Yes, in the crazy world that is California politics, the former Santa Maria city councilman finished short of the mark Read More →
Editorial: Don’t let parking stunt downtown Ventura’s progress
Editorials, OpinionA few months ago in this space, we took the managers of Ventura Harbor to task for their shortsighted plan to charge for parking at the harbor. Revenues were much lower than expected, merchants complained of depressed business, and the harbor went back to free parking before the summer was up. Now it’s the Ventura Read More →
Editorial: Clean-air rules can be a disruption
Editorials, OpinionNews that J.W. Bailey Construction Co. in Santa Barbara was closing its doors after 60 years came as a surprise. The company had a reputation for building high-quality buildings, often in the classic Santa Barbara style. But after years of suffering with the growth curbs that are the hallmark of doing business on the South Read More →
Editorial: Toward a unified West Ventura County chamber
Editorials, OpinionTom Kelley’s announced departure from the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce raises a prospect worth considering — the creation of a larger and more impactful business organization for West Ventura County. That’s why we’d encourage the boards of directors of the Oxnard, Ventura and Camarillo Chambers to consider creating a West Ventura County Chamber of Commerce. Read More →
Editorial: Ventura on right road to revive auto mall
Editorials, OpinionApart from a half-abandoned exurban subdivision, there’s no clearer physical symbol of the Great Recession than the American auto mall. Carmakers both foreign and domestic have shut dealerships from coast to coast, leaving acres of empty concrete. The effects in the Tri-Counties have been relatively mild, but there are still plenty of vacant auto mall Read More →
Editorial: Sneaky attack subverts property rights in SLO
Editorials, OpinionIn a spread that garnered national publicity in Parade Magazine on Oct. 3, San Luis Obispo was crowned “Happy Town, USA,” where, among other things, author Dan Buettner found it to be the No. 1 place in America for emotional health. But just a few days later, California’s Fair Political Practices Commission tore the cover Read More →