Says she’s shocked by incumbents

I am a retired Conejo Valley teacher. I believe it is very important that candidates seeking public office demonstrate the highest integrity and respect for the rules and the laws. I recently perused the campaign finance reports of several incumbents and was shocked by what I found in them.

Reasonable people must wonder why Mary Jo Del Campo, who is running for school board, has received donations from the Building Industry Association Political Action Committee, and also from the attorney representing the developer of Ahmanson Ranch.

In addition to that money, Mrs. Del Campo received $5,000 from another developer who benefited from Dan Del Campo’s vote for a waiver to exceed our city’s height limits. This $5,000 in donations was listed as three separate donations. Was this done to intentionally deceive people?

Isn’t it unusual for developers to contribute to Conejo school board candidates? Are these developers contributing to Mrs. Del Campo in order to really donate to Mr. Del Campo’s City Council campaign?

There’s not any limit to how much one can contribute to a school board candidate, but there is a $250 limit to how much one can contribute to a City Council candidate.

Have the Del Campos found a way to circumvent the law? Our children deserve leaders who respect our laws and who uphold them instead of attempting to get around them.

I was also shocked to review the campaign finance reports of Andy Fox, Dan Del Campo and Dennis Gillette. I found that the Auto Mall has been contributing heavily to ayll of the incumbents.

Andy Fox is leading the pack with over $10,000 in donations to date from just about every car dealer, many of their employees and many spouses of their employees. Could it be true that the Auto Mall wants our taxpayer dollars to pay for a parking structure to house their inventory of vehicles?

Doesn’t Thousand Oaks deserve elected officials who will put the best interests of residents and children ahead of special interests?

On November 5, we have the votes. Let’s use them wisely and protect our best interests.

Please join me and vote for the Certified Slow Growth Team of Michael Farris, Laura Lee Custodio, Claudia Bill de la Pena and Bob Wilson for City Council and Sydney Stein and Pat Phelps for School Board.

They will protect the best interests of the children and residents of Thousand Oaks.

Linda Brown

Thousand Oaks