Letters to the editor: Expanded airport benefits Camarillo; food insecurity still an issue
More flights will lift up Camarillo
Does small-town Camarillo prefer to live in the present or in the future when thinking of reinvesting in itself? A town best known for its agriculture, outlets, and a four-year college, only minutes to the beach and a short stroll to the foothills, Camarillo is one of California’s last hidden gems. It is a place to be shared with everyone before stumbling into the Los Angeles metropolis. California is ever-expanding and always in need of a mass transportation hub such as Camarillo. Ideal for new money and tourism alike.
The 46-year-old 1976 Agreement could be one of Camarillo’s last best bets on itself once reframed. Due to the agreement, the airport is not allowed cargo or commercial flights. In a proposed master plan launched last spring, this was taken up for debate in which the city asked residents to weigh in. In a small, select poll size including 600 residents, all of whom were surveyed via telephone, 54% opposed the plan while 35% approved commercial and 31% approved cargo flights.
There are two problems with these numbers. The poll size is a drop in the bucket and not knowing the surveyed residents’ location. Spoken by a 30-something, seeing more growth and business opportunity is a plus for this sleepy town. Will there be more noise, residents, and traffic? Certainly. This also means more money flowing into the city for future growth and security. The foundation is already laid for growth that no airplane hangars rental fee could buy.
Camarillo has always been content with being quiet, welcoming, but quiet. But the future is loud when money is flowing into registers, businesses are being created, and jobs are abundant. Liftoff from the runway screams opportunity and prosperity and that is a sound that should be music to everyone’s ears.
Dave Bramlett, Camarillo
Food insecurity still a problem
According to Ventura County’s Food Share program, 1 in 6 people in the area face food insecurity, meaning they struggle with a lack of access to enough food to support an active, healthy life for all household members. Some people feel these numbers are low enough to not be concerning in comparison to the rest of the state and country.
For example, the national food security average per county is 10.9%, compared to Ventura County’s 7.8%. Although it is great to hear we are doing well on a countywide scale, we should not settle with the current conditions.
Food insecurity is associated with many chronic health conditions, and households that work to combat this problem on a daily basis often have to choose between comforts that many people always have available to them, such as medical care, utilities and education. People below the poverty line or near it are disproportionately affected by food related difficulties, and the county government should put as much effort as possible into making food more widely available.
Call your representatives and remind them how prominent of an issue food insecurity is. Volunteer organizations can do wonders, but without assistance from city officials with things like distribution and funding, those earlier percentages will never be as low as they should be.
Teagan Davidge, Camarillo
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letters: Expanded airport benefits Camarillo; food insecurity
