Neal Andrews, Ventura City Council member and candidate for county supervisor
Ventura Councilman Neal Andrews launched his campaign for county supervisor Wednesday with a pledge to shrink county government without compromising the safety net it provides for the poor.
Andrews, 68, is midway through his third term on the Ventura City Council. He announced this week he would run for supervisor, and his campaign's first event was a kickoff Wednesday on the front steps of Ventura City Hall.
Andrews is the third candidate to enter the race for the supervisor seat representing the county's 1st District, which covers Ventura, Ojai and the Ojai Valley; the coast from Ventura to the Santa Barbara County line; part of the Lockwood Valley; and parts of northern Oxnard.
Ventura Councilwoman Christy Weir is running, as is Ventura County Fire Chief Bob Roper. Supervisor Steve Bennett is leaving office after three terms because he's running for the U.S. House in the state's new 26th Congressional District.
At his campaign launch, Andrews told about 10 supporters he has the credentials and experience to serve on the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. He spoke about his management and consulting experience in public and private health care organizations.
He also cited the City Council's recent efforts to bring more businesses to the city and cut budgets while maintaining core city services.
"Today, we have a more productive and efficient government," Andrews said. "That's why we can run this city today on fewer employees than we did in 1990."
Andrews has been an advocate for cutting the city's pension costs, something he said he'd do at the county level. The current system of guaranteed benefits for government employees is "simply unsustainable," he said.
He also is one of Ventura's chief supporters of government and nonprofit efforts to help the poor, mentally ill and homeless.
"I have a deep commitment there, and I will be bringing that commitment to everything I do at the county level," he said.
Andrews' campaign has a few obstacles to overcome. Public-sector unions have campaigned against him in Ventura and could do so at the county level. He's a Republican running in a district where Democrats have a wide lead in voter registration, and Roper entered the race with the support of most of the county's high-level Republican politicians. The office of supervisor is nonpartisan, but political parties often support a candidate with endorsements and advertisements.
Douglas Breeze, mayor of Port Hueneme and the city of Ojai's retired public works director, said he supports Andrews because he can cut through partisan differences.
"I don't give my endorsement lightly," Breeze said. "I don't care if an individual is a Republican or Democrat. I truly feel that Neal Andrews is the right guy for the job. If the citizens of District 1 set aside their political affiliation and look at which candidate will do the best job, I know they'll highly consider Neal for the position."
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Comments » 6
Bongo writes:
Any one who the public sector unions campaign against has my vote. Go Neal.
Seneca1854 writes:
"Ventura Councilman Neal Andrews launched his campaign for county supervisor Wednesday with a pledge to shrink county government without compromising the safety net it provides for the poor...."
I hope he's got a big stack of magic wands on hand.
Clanker writes:
Andrews gets "about" 10 supporters at his kickoff? What a massive showing, not!
Mr. Andrews please give up this pathetic attempt to get some attention. You have lost before you have even begun.
Army76 writes:
Neal, did you forget that you support county workers when they were on strike? These are the same people that you say you will cut. You are just another politician saying whatever just to get elected.
nobaloney writes:
We can and should do better than to elect a person like Neal Andrews who spends so much time ineffectively jousting with his fellow Ventura City Council members in arguments which are often the equivalent of "how many fairies can dance on the head of a pin". The County does not need someone who seems to pride himself in how he is often the lone dissenting vote. Andrews should ask himself that if he so often finds himself at odds with his peers that maybe he is the problem, not them. Unfortunately Andrews' style resonates with some contrarian personalities who revel in him seeming to fight the establishment. I find that behavior a form of immaturity and while Ventura has tolerated it and Andrews on their City Council, there is no reason to export this ineffective behavior to the County.
Politics77 writes:
I am sorry Mr. Andrews but while I support you greatly and feel that you would do a great job as Supervisor especially if people ignore labels, I have to take issue with something you said at the rally and were quoted saying in this article. Its not that we can run this city with fewer employees but rather HAVE to. With reduced revenues and each council member advocating for different priorities, cuts had to be made. It wasn't done when we had the luxury of cuts but rather when we were forced to cut. There are areas of this city that would greatly benefit from increased personnel like "Public Safety".
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