Incumbent Judy Mikels will face two opponents in the upcoming race to represent Simi Valley, Moorpark and surrounding areas on the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

Mikels has served three terms on the board and hopes to be elected to a fourth term on June 6 and see the resolution of issues she's been involved with for years, she said.

Challengers Jim Dantona, who's been campaigning for months, and newcomer Peter Foy, an insurance broker, say it's time for a change.

Voters are concerned about unrestricted growth, public safety, highway traffic, and an absentee supervisor who's paid a full-time salary but gives only a part-time commitment while residing in Arizona, Dantona said. "Voters deserve far better for their hard-earned tax dollars," he said.

Foy, who entered the race a few weeks ago, is more pragmatic. The goals of the 22-year resident of Simi Valley are to increase public safety and manage the county's finances effectively, he said. He recently met, he said, with Sheriff Bob Brooks to discuss law enforcement issues.

"Elected officials need to be reminded that they need to be accountable," Foy said.

In recent years, the board of supervisors has cut funding for the sheriff's department, the East County Jail was closed for a while, and the crime lab has fallen behind on case analysis due to personnel shortages.

Since the county had a $17million surplus this year, officials should fund the Ventura County Sheriff's Department and the district attorney adequately, said Foy, who's concerned about a countywide increase in violent crimes and jail overcrowding.

According to Foy, the county crime lab is lagging behind by 900 cases and the department is shorthanded. And the extended lawsuit, now settled, that pitted county government against the D.A. and the sheriff's department was costly to taxpayers, he said.

Foy isn't a politician and hasn't previously run for public office. He's a board member of the Ventura County Boy Scout Council and was chairman of More Power to You, a group of business owners working to help resolve the power crisis several years ago. He was also finance chairman of the Christian Coalition of California in 1998.

Foy believes elected officials shouldn't make a career of politics--they need to create solutions and move on, he said.

Dantona, on the other hand, is a 30-year veteran of governmental activities, working as a consultant. He's not a lobbyist, he said. His firm, Governmental Impact, is a legislative consulting firm that represents private companies that want to do business with the state and other entities.

Dantona served on the Ventura County Transportation Committee as a public appointee. He's the founder of Baseballers Against Drugs, an organization established in 1989 to serve youth by using sports to promote an antidrug, anti-gang, pro-education message.

He ran unsuccessfully to represent the San Fernando Valley in the state Assembly in 1996.

Dantona pledged to push growth-control measures to minimize traffic congestion, improve traffic safety and preserve agriculture and open space within Ventura County.

Mikels questioned Dantona's integrity because big developers are among his company's clients.

Over the past several months, Dantona has gained the support of both Democrats and Republicans, including Moorpark Mayor Patrick Hunter and Simi Valley Councilmember Barbra Williamson. But the candidate recently lost the backing of Assemblymember Audra Strickland and her husband, former Assemblymember Tony Strickland, when they chose to endorse the conservative Foy.

There are no hard feelings, Dantona said. "They (the Stricklands) stood with me from the beginning against an incumbent they knew was misrepresenting the district, and that took guts," he said.

Mikels isn't surprised that the Stricklands chose to support another candidate--no matter who it is--because they're upset she endorsed another candidate in the last Assembly race, she said.

Mikels defends her record as supervisor.

The county is fiscally healthy, she said, and officials must be careful not to jeopardize it. Mikels said the county must keep a healthy reserve and save for a rainy day because funding from the state and federal governments fluctuates from year to year.

The Fourth District needs money for road, freeway and parks improvements, and especially for law enforcement and social services, Mikels said.

She said the county must also balance the desires of property owners and environmentalists in addressing the housing needs of an ever-growing population.

County government provides many services--from its hospital and mental health services to animal regulation to public safety and prosecution services.

The county depends not only on property tax revenue but also on monies from the state and the federal governments to fund those services, which are impacted when funding is inadequate.

In response to Dantona's accusations concerning her time spent away from Simi Valley, Mikels said, "The only voter concerned about an 'absentee supervisor' is Jim Dantona. He's inventing issues because he doesn't have fresh ideas."

Mikels invites the public to review her meeting schedule. She's lived in Simi Valley since 1982. "I never moved to the San Fernando Valley just to run for Assembly as my opponent did. It's true we have a second house in Tucson because my husband works there during the week," she said. "He does a lot of international travel, but comes home to Simi Valley every weekend that he's not traveling for work."

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