State Government
The state government is composed of legislative, executive and judicial branches – just like our federal government. The state capitol is located in Sacramento. Ventura County is represented by two state senators and three members of the state Assembly.

GOVERNOR
Arnold Schwarzenegger (R)
(Re-elected October 2006)
Regional Office:
300 S. Spring Street, Suite 16701
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Phone: 213/897-0322
Fax: 213/897-0319
Sacramento Office:
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916/445-2841
Fax: 916/445-4633
E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov
Web site: http://www.governor.ca.gov

STATE SENATE
George C. Runner (R-17th District)
(Elected 2004)
State Capitol, Room 4066
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916/445-6637
Fax: 916/445-4662
District Office:
Santa Clarita City Hall
23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 250
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Phone: 661/286-1471
Fax: 661/286-2543
E-mail: senator.runner@sen.ca.gov
Web site: http://republican.sen.ca.gov/web/17/

The 17th District incorporates several different counties. In Los Angeles County, the district incorporates the Antelope Valley, a majority of the Santa Clarita Valley, and several communities in the San Fernando. The district incorporates portions of San Bernardino County and Ventura County, reaching within one mile of the ocean near Carpinteria and includes Santa Paula, Fillmore and Piru.

Tom McClintock (R-19th District)
(Re-elected 2004)
State Capitol, Room 3070
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916/445-8873
Fax: 916/324-7544
District Office:
223 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 326
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Phone: 805/494-8808
E-mail: senator.mcclintock@sen.ca.gov
Web site: http://republican.sen.ca.gov/web/mcclintock/

The 19th District includes the northwest corner of Los Angeles County, including Stevenson Ranch and Santa Clarita. The Ventura County portion of the district includes Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Camarillo, Ventura and Ojai. Legislative reapportionment has added Santa Barbara County to the district, Santa Barbara, Lompoc, Carpinteria, Buellton, Solvang and Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Sheila J. Kuehl (D-23rd District)
(Re-elected 2004)
State Capitol, Room 4032
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916/445-1353
Fax: 916/324-4823
District Office:
10951 W. Pico Blvd., #202
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Phone: 310/441-9084
Fax: 310/441-0724
E-mail: Sheila.Kuehl@sen.ca.gov
Webs site: http://democrats.sen.ca.gov/senator/kuehl/

The 23rd District is located primarily in Los Angeles County, but reaches into Ventura County to include Port Hueneme and Westlake Village.

Democratic Party Offices
VC Democratic Central Committee
P.O. Box 1587
Camarillo, CA 93011
Phone: 477-1777
Web: www.venturacountydemocrats.com.

Republican Party Offices
VC Republican Central Committee
3625 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 259
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
Phone: 557-1240
Web: www.vcrcc.org


STATE ASSEMBLY
Pedro Nava (D-35th District)
(Re-elected 2006)
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Room 5144
Sacramento, CA 94249-0035
Phone: 916/319-2035
Fax: 916/319-2135
Santa Barbara Office:
101 W. Anapamu St., Suite A
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Phone: 805/564-1649
Fax: 805/564-1651
E-mail: None
Web site: http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a35
The 35th District covers the city of Ventura and reaches north into much of Santa Barbara County, covering Montecito, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Isla Vista, Solvang, Buellton and Los Alamos.

Audra Strickland (R-37th District)
(Re-elected 2006)
State Capitol
Room 4098
Sacramento, CA 94249-0037
Phone: 916/319-2037
Thousand Oaks Office:
2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite C
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
Phone: 805/557-4901
E-mail: Log on to web address below, click “Contact”
Web site: http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/37
The 37th District covers Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Los Angeles, Moorpark, Santa Paula, Fillmore and Ojai.

Cameron Smyth (R-38th District)
(Elected 2006)
State Capitol, Room 5128
Sacramento, CA 94249-0038
Phone: 916/319-2038
Fax: 916/319-2138
Granada Hills Office:
10727 White Oak Ave., Suite 124
Granada Hills, CA 91344
Phone: 818/368-3838
Fax: 818/885-3307
E-mail: Log on to web address below, click “Contact”
Web site: http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/38
The 38th District covers Los Angeles, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley and Glendale

Julia Brownley (D-41st District)
(Elected 2006)
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0041
Phone: 916/319-2041
Fax: 916/319-2141
District Office:
6355 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Suite 205
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Phone: 818/596-4141
805/644-4141
310/395-3414
Fax: 818/596-4150
E-mail: Log on to web address below, click “Contact”
Web site: http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a41
The 41st District covers Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Encino, Hidden Hills, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Port Hueneme, Oak Park, Santa Monica, Tarzana, Topanga, Woodland Hills, portions of Oxnard and Westlake Village.

County Government
The Board of Supervisors governs Ventura County and consists of five elected members. The government, whose offices are located in the county seat of Ventura, runs many programs required by the state and federal governments and some municipal services in the unincorporated areas. Elected officials include assessor, auditor-controller, county clerk and recorder, district attorney, sheriff, superintendent of schools, treasurer-tax collector-public administrator-public guardian/conservator, and Superior Court judges.

Ventura County Government Center
800 S. Victoria Ave.
Ventura, CA 93002
Phone: 805/654-5000 (general information)
TDD: 805/656-1313
Internet: www.countyofventura.org

Ventura County Board of Supervisors
(as of January 2007)
District 1 - Steve Bennett, chair
Phone: 805/654-2703
District 2 - Linda Parks
Phone: 805/373-2564
District 3 - Kathy Long
Phone: 805/654-2276
District 4 - Peter Foy
Phone: 805/582-8010
District 5 - John K. Flynn
(Re-elected November 2004)
Phone: 805/487-6331

City Governments
The governments in the incorporated cities are administered by a city council/mayor and city manager system. The officeholder information that follows is current as of January 2006. Keep in mind, however, that elections occur frequently and at different times of the year for these various elected bodies. The offices of mayor and mayor pro tem in many cities are largely ceremonial in nature and rotate annually during council reorganization meetings, usually following an election. In some instances we have omitted reference to these positions, as all are technically council members. Officeholders whose names are followed by an asterisk (*) were elected or re-elected in November 2004, the most recent election before this publication went to press.

Agoura Hills
This is a general-law city with a five-member city council and a council-appointed city manager. Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Terms are four years in duration and staggered to provide continuity during the transition from one council to the next. Two or three council seats become available during municipal elections.

City Hall Council Chambers
30001 Ladyface Court
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Phone: 818/597-7316
Internet: www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us

City Council
John Edelston, Mayor
Denis Weber, Mayor Pro Tem
William Koehler, Member
Harry Schwarz, Member
Dan Kuperberg, Member
Greg Ramirez, City Manager


Calabasas
This is a general-law city with a five-member city council and a council-appointed city manager. Council meetings are held on the first and third Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Terms are four years in duration and staggered to provide continuity during the transition from one council to the next. Two or three seats become available during municipal elections that are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of odd-numbered years.

City Hall Council Chambers
26135 Mureau Road, 2nd Floor
Calabasas, CA 91302
Phone: 818/878-4225
Internet: www.cityofcalabasas.com

City Council
James Bozajian, Mayor
Mary Sue Maurer, Mayor Pro Tem
Jonathon Wolfson, Member
Barry Groveman, Member
Dennis Washburn, Member
Tony Coroalles, City Manager

Camarillo
This is a general-law city with a five-member city council elected at-large and a council-appointed city manager. Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays. Meetings begin at 5 p.m.; public comments on items not on the agenda are heard at 7:30 p.m. Meetings of the city’s Sanitary District and Community Development Commission are held concurrently. Terms are four years in duration and staggered to provide continuity during the transition from one council to the next. Two or three seats become available during November municipal elections.

City Hall
601 Carmen Drive
Camarillo, CA 93010
Phone: 805/388-5307
Internet: www.ci.camarillo.ca.us

City Council
Charlotte Craven, Mayor
Don Waunch, Vice Mayor
Kevin Kildee, Member
Michael D. Morgan, Member
Jan McDonald, Member
Jerry Bankston, City Manager

Fillmore
Fillmore is governed by general law and a five-member city council elected at-large with a city manager. Terms are staggered to provide continuity during the transition from one council to the next. Council meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Elections are held in November during even-numbered years.

City Hall
Central Park Plaza
250 Central Ave.
Fillmore, CA 93015
Phone: 524-3701
Internet: www.fillmoreca.com

Fillmore City Council
Steve Conaway, Mayor
M. Cecilia Cuevas, Mayor Pro Tem
Scott Lee, Member
Patti Walker, Member
Laurie Hernandez, Member
Roy Payne, City Manager

Hidden Hills
The Hidden Hills City Council is composed of five members elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to serve four-year overlapping terms. Elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of odd-numbered years. The mayor is appointed by the council from one of its members for a one-year term and serves as the official representative of the city. Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Mondays at 7:30 p.m.

City Hall
6165 Spring Valley Road
Hidden Hills, CA 91302
Phone: 818/888-9281
Internet: www.hiddenhillscity.org

City Council
Stuart Siegel, Mayor
Monty Fisher, Mayor Pro Tem
Steve Freedland, Member
Jim Cohen, Member
Larry G. Weber, Member
Cherie L. Paglia, Manager/City Clerk
Deana Morerod, Deputy City Clerk

Moorpark
The city of Moorpark is governed by general law and a five-member council and city manager. The mayor is elected to serve a two-year term. The four council members are elected at-large to serve staggered four-year terms. Elections are held during November in even-numbered years.

City Hall
799 Moorpark Ave.
Moorpark, CA 93021
Phone: 517-6200
Internet: www.ci.moorpark.ca.us

City Council
Patrick Hunter, Mayor
Janice S. Parvin, Mayor Pro Tem
Roseann Mikos, Ph.D., Member
Mark Van Dam, Member
Keith F. Millhouse, Member
Steven Kueny, City Manager

Ojai
Ojai is governed by general law, a five-member city council elected at-large and a council-appointed city manager. The council appoints the city manager and city attorney, and it serves as the city’s Redevelopment Agency. Two or three seats open up during municipal elections every two years. Four-year council terms are staggered to provide continuity during the transition from one council to the next. Elections are held during even-numbered years in November.

City Hall
401 S. Ventura Street
Ojai, CA 93023
Phone: 646-5581
Internet: www.ci.ojai.ca.us

City Council
(Mary) Sue Horgan, Mayor
Joe DeVito, Mayor Pro Tem
Carol Smith, Membert
Rae Hanstad, Member
Steve Olsen, Member
Dan Singer, City Manager

Oxnard
Oxnard is governed by general law and a five-member council/manager system. The council meets three times a month on Tuesday evenings. Meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. for closed-business sessions and 7 p.m. for regular business. Meeting schedule information is available by calling 385-7803. Council seats are staggered to provide continuity during the transition from one council to the next. The position of mayor is an elected post, separate from the rest of the council. Elections are held during even-numbered years in November.

City Hall
305 W. Third St., 4th Floor
Oxnard, CA 93030
Phone: 385-7430
Web site: www.ci.oxnard.ca.us

City Council
Dr. Thomas Holden, Mayor
Dean Maulhardt, Mayor Pro Tem
Andres Herrera, Member
John C. Zaragoza, Member
Timothy Flynn, Member
Edmund F. Sotelo, City Manager
Karen Burnham, Assistant City Manager

Port Hueneme
Port Hueneme is a general-law city with a five-member city council and a city manager. Council members are elected at-large to four-year staggered terms to provide continuity during the transition from one council to the next. The council also serves as the board of directors for the city’s Redevelopment Agency, Housing Authority and Surplus Property Authority. The council holds regular meetings on the first and third Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Elections are held in November during even-numbered years.

City Hall
250 N. Ventura Road
Port Hueneme, CA 93041
Phone: 986-6501
Internet: www.ci.port-hueneme.ca.us

City Council
Toni Young, Mayor
Jon Sharkey, Mayor Pro Tem
Maricela Morales, Member
Norman Griffaw, Member
Murray Rosenbluth, Member

Santa Paula
Santa Paula is governed by general law and a city council/manager system. Elections are held in November during even-numbered years.

City Hall
970 Ventura St.
Santa Paula, CA 93060
Phone: 525-4478
Internet: www.ci.santa-paula.ca.us

City Council
Robert S. Gonzales, Mayor
Ralph J. Fernandez, Vice Mayor
Ray C. Luna, Member
John T. Procter, Member
Dr. Gabino Aguirre, Member
Wally Bobkiewicz, City Manager

Simi Valley
Simi Valley is governed by general law and a city council/manager system. The city’s four council members are elected at-large to four-year terms in alternate slates of two, every two years. The mayor is elected at-large every two years. Elections are held in November during even-numbered years. The council also serves as the board of directors for Ventura County Waterworks District No. 8 and the Simi Valley Community Development Agency.

City Hall
2929 Tapo Canyon Road
Simi Valley, CA 93063
Phone: 583-6700
Internet: www.simivalley.org

City Council
Paul Miller, Mayor
Michelle S. Foster, Mayor Pro Tem
Steven T. Sojka, Member
Glen T. Becerra, Member
Barbra Williamson, Member
Mike Sedell, City Manager

Thousand Oaks
The city of Thousand Oaks is a general-law city and operates under a five-member city council with a city manager. The city council appoints a city manager and a city attorney. Elected in November in even-numbered years, council members serve four-year, staggered terms. The mayor and mayor pro tem are appointed by fellow council members and serve one-year terms. Council meetings are held the first four Tuesdays of each month at 6 p.m. and are televised on TOTV-Channel 10.

City Hall
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
449-2121
Internet: www.ci.thousand-oaks.ca.us

City Council
Jacqui V. Irwin, Mayor
Thomas P. Glancy, Mayor Pro Tem
Andrew P. Fox, Member
Dennis C. Gillette, Member
Claudia Bill-de la Pena, Member
Philip E. Gatch, City Manager

Ventura
Ventura is a charter city with a city manager, council/mayor. The seven-member City Council meets every Monday at 7 p.m. Council meetings are televised live on Cable Channel 6. The Planning Commission meets on the first and third Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

City Hall
501 Poli Street
Ventura 93002
Phone: 654-7800
Internet: www.ci.ventura.ca.us

City Council
Christy Weir, Mayor
Bill Fulton, Deputy Mayor
Carl E. Morehouse, Member
Neal Andrews, Member
Brian Brennan, Member
James Monahan, Member
Ed Summers, Member
Rick Cole, City Manager
City Council Members:
654-7827 (business hours)

Voter Registration
Ventura County and California residents who are 18 years or older may register to vote. You may pick up registration forms at city halls, libraries, Department of Motor Vehicle offices and the Ventura County Elections Division office in Ventura. You must be registered 29 days before an election. The California voter registration hotline: 800/345-8683.

Taxes
Taxes in Ventura County follow the California system. The state sales tax varies from city to city; the rate for Ventura is 8.25 percent. Personal income tax is based on one’s earnings, and unemployment insurance is 5.4 percent. Residents must pay taxes on real estate, car licenses, cigarettes, wine and liquor, inheritance and hotel beds. Property tax questions may be directed to the Ventura County Assessor’s Office at 805/654-2181

Public Safety
According to FBI statistics, Ventura County is rated one of the safest urban areas in the West. The crime rate for the county is the lowest of all Southern California counties and less than half that of Los Angeles County.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement for the unincorporated areas and under contract the cities of Camarillo, Fillmore and Ojai. The cities of Oxnard, Santa Paula, and Ventura have their own police departments.

The Ventura Police Department maintains a number of programs to assist with public safety: Community Problem Oriented Policing, Crime Stoppers, Neighborhood Watch, Citizens Academy, DARE, Scared Safe, Graffiti Hotline, K-9s, etc. See Chapter 17 for telephone numbers.

American Red Cross
The American Red Cross is a nationwide organization dedicated to assisting communities and countries in need, especially when a disaster strikes. Local American Red Cross Chapters are located throughout the region:

• City, 2355 Portola Road, Ventura, 339-2234
• East Valley District Office 1919 Williams, Simi Valley 582-8630
• Port Hueneme / Point Mugu, 982-3074
• Ojai Chapter, Ojai, 646-6044
• Ventura County Chapter 826 Calle Plano, Camarillo, 987-1514
• American Red Cross Blood Services 800/448-3543

Disaster Preparedness
Earthquake Preparedness — Planning for an earthquake helps you and your family stay calm during this emergency. It is very important that you remain calm. If you are indoors, stay inside. Get under a table, desk, or another sturdy object. If the items are not available, go to an interior wall. A doorway may not be the safest place to be during an earthquake. Stay away from windows, bookcases, mirrors, large/heavy pictures or objects hung on walls, and fireplaces. If you are in the kitchen, turn off your stove/oven at the first sign of shaking, and then take cover.

If you are outdoors, go into an open space, away from buildings, power lines, and trees. Sit or lie down and brace yourself.

If you are in a crowded public place, seek shelter from falling debris. Do not rush for an exit because other people will have the same idea. Remain calm and after the shaking has stopped, move cautiously from the building. Be prepared to seek shelter again.

If you are in a car, pull to the side of the road, away from bridges, overpasses, and power lines. Stay in your car and turn on the radio for emergency announcements. Be aware that roadways should remain clear for emergency vehicles.
Do not try to use your telephone except to report medical, fire or violent crime emergencies. Turn on your portable radio for information and damage reports

Be prepared for aftershocks, which are smaller in magnitude that the main earthquake. However, they can cause additional damage, too.

The following supplies are recommended for you to have on hand before an earthquake occurs:

• Portable radio
• Flashlights
• Extra batteries
• First-aid kit and handbook
• Fire extinguisher (check with your local fire department)
  
• Tools
  
• Drinking water, 3 gallons per person
  
• Food, non-perishable and do not require water for preparation
  
• Cooking source: charcoal, fuel, matches*
  
• Manual can opener
• Chlorine bleach or purification tables
  
• Sanitation supplies
  
• Cash
  
• Blankets
  
• Extra clothing (summer, winter)
  
• Gloves (regular and rubber)
  
• Extra sturdy shoes for the family
  
• Extra prescriptions and medication (check with your doctor / pharmacy)
  
• Extra glasses / contact lens
  
• Supplies for your pets

Prepare your family before a disaster

• Secure overhead lighting fixtures.
• Store heavy items on lower cabinets / bookshelves.
• Secure water heater with approved strapping (check with your local codes).
• Ensure that you and your family know how and where natural gas*, electric and water-main shut-offs are located, and what position is “off.”
• The main water shut-off valve is located where water enters your house. It may be located near the sidewalk.
• Do not shut off gas unless you can smell escaping gas or you suspect there may be a gas leak. The main shut-off valve is located next to your meter on the inlet pipe. Use a wrench and give it a quarter turn in either direction so that it runs crosswise (closed) on the pipe. If the gas is turned off, the gas company must relight all pilot lights.
• Know where the electric circuit-breaker box or fuse box is located? Learn how to turn off the electricity in an emergency.
• After an earthquake, check everyone for injuries. If a person has stopped breathing, give mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing. Stop any bleeding injury by applying direct pressure over the site of the wound. Do not attempt to move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Cover injured persons with blankets to keep them warm. Staying calm will be comforting to the injured person.
• Check for damage to gas, electrical and water lines. Be cautious of broken glass and debris lying around the area. If you suspect a gas leak, do not use a match, electrical switches, etc. to find the leak. Do not turn on gas; let the gas company restore service.
• Shut off electrical power at the control box if you suspect electrical damage to your home. Do not touch downed power lines, or objects touched by downed power lines, or electrical wiring of any kind.
• Check sewage lines for cracks before using toilets. Check the chimney and house walls for cracks and damage, and check closets and cupboards, too. Remember to open doors cautiously and beware of falling objects.
• Immediately clean up any spilled medicines, drugs, or other potentially harmful materials. Be aware that pets may be drawn to spilled materials as well. Check your vehicle for leaks and clean them up immediately.

Your local city and emergency agencies offer various emergency-preparedness pamphlets. Call them and request they be mailed to you. Save a life — “Learn CPR.” Call your local Red Cross to find out when the next class is scheduled.

Fire Protection
The Ventura County Fire Department provides fire protection under contract for the unincorporated areas and the cities of Camarillo, Ojai, Port Hueneme and Thousand Oaks. The cities of Fillmore, Oxnard, Santa Paula and Ventura have their own fire departments.

The U.S. Forest Service provides fire protection in the Los Padres National Forest.