Letters to the editor: Measures A and B; sheriff's race; abortion and crime

An obligation to the environment

Keep your eye on the prize and don’t be dazzled by glossy expensive flyers, billboards and signs. There is an abundance of literature available to assist voters in deciding whether the oil companies’ multimillion dollar attack on the Measures A and B will really increase our dependency on foreign oil and shut down or eliminate oil-related jobs in Ventura County.

Is it unreasonable to require an oil company to have permit applications subject to environmental review utilizing up to date standards? Is it unreasonable to have those who have the potential to contaminate our water sources to comply with current environmental standards? I think not.

As long as oil remains in the county the oil companies will be here, and they will employ workers. Clearly as challenges to our water supply and air are in abundance, this is not the time to ignore our obligation to the environment. The oil companies should embrace the measures and we should really ask what is/are the real reasons they are not.

Maurice M. Garcia, Newbury Park

Ayub has handled challenges

I am a retired Chief Deputy with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and am supporting Bill Ayub for many reasons, both from an experience and ethical standpoint and because I know him as a calm influence when times get rough.

Most law enforcement executives will share that the best leaders are those who have experienced significant challenges which may have seemed daunting at the time, but in reality, offered them the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to understand and resolve those issues. I believe the challenges during Sheriff Ayub’s term have been unprecedented and have been handled with professionalism, always putting the safety of our communities first. He is a sheriff with exceptional experience and can best use that experience to the community’s benefit in a second term.

Bill’s opponent believes he deserves to skip two ranks to become our next sheriff. That lack of experience is significant and concerning to me. Even though he has significant union endorsements and their financial backing, along with an energetic group of sign-posting volunteers, does not lend itself to the qualifications necessary to lead the Sheriff’s Office. His concerns that the Sheriff does not communicate enough with the rank and file could best be overcome by dedicated and loyal command staff who might consider promoting the Sheriff’s vision and perspectives, instead of demeaning or undermining his effort to lead the organization.

Marty Rouse, Moorpark

Vote yes on Measures A and B

The choice is clear. Oil companies would like to avoid modern environmental review on new drilling, based on decades-old permits of wells they have already drilled. All Measures A and B do is close that loophole. They don’t stop drilling. They just make oil companies comply with current environmental standards and say no new drilling next to schools and homes.

We know more about the environment and about health and safety than we did in the early 1900s. We know the importance of keeping our water and air clean and healthy. Oil companies are not hurting. Chevron, for example, is 27th on the Forbes 500, with $94.7 billion in annual revenue and $190 billion in market value as of 2021. This will not drive them out of business. There is no proof of that.

Are we for clean air and water, or preserving business as usual, under antiquated permits, for oil companies? If you like clean air and water and no drilling near schools, homes and aquifers, vote yes on Measures A and B.

Mark E. Hancock, Ventura

Wrong about abortion and crime

Re: Rev. Linda Calderon’s May 12 letter, “God isn’t dividing country”:

I’d like to take exception to the sentence that reads, “After abortions started en mass, we began to see a difference in gang violence and all crime.” If the reverend would take the time to read “Freakonomics,” first published back in 2005, she would quickly find the fallacy in that statement.

What was discovered from a review of the statistics was that, once women, especially those in financially constrained circumstances, were allowed to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, crime actually went down.

Or she may want to review the study that came out of Stanford in 2020, by John J. Donohue and Steven D. Levitt, entitled “The Impact of Legalized Abortion on Crime over the Last Two Decades,” that underscored the earlier findings. It’s one thing to demand that children be born. It is quite another to turn your backs on them once they are here, particularly by denying them equal education opportunities, decent pay, availability of childcare and myriad other issues that stack the deck in leaving those children out of major parts of society.

I don’t see anyone in the pro-choice camp trying to pass laws to force anyone to have an abortion. I do see strong efforts by the pro-choice people in trying to support family planning, especially contraception, and women’s health care overall, which would reduce the need for abortions. This is where the “state” has no place — telling people what to do with their personal lives. That’s dictatorship. Leaving the state out of personal decisions is a part of our freedoms, as is our freedom to worship how we please.

I, personally, believe in a higher power, but the decision to terminate a pregnancy should be left up to that woman and her God. That has nothing to do with inserting religion into secular matters.

Carl Morehouse, Ventura

Don’t add to Chevron’s profits

It is currently legal for corporate interests to participate in the democratic process, which was previously limited to individual citizens. This participation comes in the form of money — creating a very large and influential voice over the air waves, internet, newspapers, billboards, etc.

What are the rewards for this intrusion into the democratic process?

In the case of Measures A & B here in Ventura County, this is an attempt to overturn the authority of our elected County Supervisors for sake of the sole interests of oil and gas industry, at the expense of the health and preservation of a healthy (air and water quality) environment. The financial benefits gained by the oil and gas industry must far outweigh the $5-6 million that Chevron is spending on this campaign.

Such nefarious undertakings run the risk of payback. A modest step would be for our citizens to decide to never again purchase gasoline nor any other services from all Chevron stations across Ventura County and beyond. Regardless of the outcome of this ballot measure, we can permanently reduce the revenue stream from these invaders of our democratic process.

Congress has equated money with free speech. That decision has distorted our democracy. Until Congress corrects this mistake, lets “self-correct” to the extent that it’s within our rights by never again purchasing gasoline or any other products from Chevron.

Tom Seigner, Westlake Village

Vote Fryhoff for Sheriff

I am writing a letter in support of Jim Fryhoff. I feel that he is a breath of fresh air, he has been upfront and very approachable on what he would like to see for Ventura County. Jim made the effort to come to South Oxnard on more than one opportunity and engage the community. I applaud his effort. Jim has put his 31-year record out there for the public, he has been honest, and his actions speak to his charter and integrity. I am a U.S. Army veteran, and I will be voting for Fryhoff this election.

Francine Castanon, Oxnard

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letters: Measures A and B; sheriff's race; abortion and crime