Studies

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Current Studies

No current studies to report.

Completed Studies

Local Study: Ventura County Budget, FY 2003/4 and 2004/5
A study of the Ventura County Budget was adopted at the annual meeting in 2003. The study started off with a presentation by County Executive Officer John Johnston doing a power‑point presentation on the budget. That was followed by two sets of unit meetings. The January unit topic was budget fundamentals based on Johnston's presentation, general fund budget summaries, using visual graphics, and the budget‑making process. In March, overviews of personnel costs and the enterprise funds were given as were the costs and services of the Mental Health Services and Sheriffs Department. We concluded our presentations in April with a panel consisting of Christine Cohen, Ventura County Auditor‑Controller, Don Facciano, Ventura County Taxpayers' Association President, and Pam Pecarich ably filling in for Timm Herdt who canceled at the last minute. Pam explained the Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act, which was to be on the November ballot. During the year, a number of Voter articles ran on this topic, including one on the usage of the tobacco funds.

When considering whether this topic should continue as a local study for another year, it was concluded that the committee should continue as a watchdog on budget matters, hold a forum at the conclusion of the court case between the county and public safety on what the fallout would be, and take action in support of the Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act, Proposition 65. The annual meeting in 2004 adopted a continuation as a local study.

Because of an agreement reached with the Governor, the League of California Cities/California State Association of Counties/Special Districts Association group dropped their support of Proposition 65 and, instead supported the Governor's proposition IA. Plans for action and education that we had intended to do on this were therefore dropped. The dispute between the County and the Sheriff/DA was finally resolved and the court case dropped, so no forum was held.

Early in 2005, the committee met to talk about holding a general meeting and decided that the topic of most interest and importance was what services have been cut or dropped from the budget we studied last spring as a result of budget cuts. Several members of the committee then met with CEO Johnston to ask his views on this topic and his suggestions for speakers. The meeting was held on May 4 at the county administrative building. Panelists were John Johnston, CEO, Pierre Durant, Director of Health Care Agency, Ted Myers, Director of the Human Services Agency, and Victoria Jump, Director of the Area Agency on Aging, and Ron Coons, Director of Public Works. Dr. Durant turned over most of his time to Linda Schulman, Director of Behavioral Health. CEO Johnston reported that the outlook for the future had improved. Schulman and Myers said that their departments could not handle additional cuts. The agencies run by Jump and Coons were not hit as hard, but they have unmet needs and stagnant funding. The meeting was quite well attended.

Affordable Housing
At the General Meetng of the League of Women Voters of Ventura County on June of 2000, it was decided to make Affordable Housing the local study for 2000-01. This topic was to include housing for the homeless, the lack of low income housing, and affordable housing options.

Now, the report of this study, "Too High a Price: LWVVC Affordable Housing Study 2000 - 01" may be found on the web at http://www.ez2.net/LWV/aff_hous.htm (Revised March 2002)

League Study Committee on Welfare Reform in Ventura County
The League's Study Committee on Welfare Reform in Ventura County has completed a two-year investigation of CalWORKs and related institutions. Committee members interviewed many of the administrative staff of Ventura County's welfare reform program, conducted interviews with welfare clients, visited the One-stop Job and Career Centers throughout the county, and extensively researched issues related to welfare reform, particularly as they pertain to Ventura County.

In April 2000, the Study Committee reported to LWVVC units about its findings, which were published in a booklet distributed to members and available to interested residents of the County. On May 24, 2000 the League hosted a panel discussion on "Welfare Reform in Ventura County: Progress and Problems" at the James F. Cowan Conference Center, 555 Airport Way, Camarillo. Panelists were Dr. Alice O'Connor, specialist in welfare reform history, UC Santa Barbara; Randy Feltman, Dir. of Business & Employment Services, Human Services Agency; Bruce Stenslie, Dir. of Administration, HSA; Connie Clay, Dir. of the Job and Career Center, Simi Valley; and Julie Irving, Dir. of Child Development Resources, Inc., of Ventura County's welfare reform program. Progress since its inception in January 1998 and the problems that remain were addressed. The Study Committee will continue to monitor welfare reform in Ventura County. The text of the report on this study is available at http://www.ez2.net/lwv/CalWORKs.htm. For more information, call (805) 648-4731. (Reapproved March 2001)