Dean Kunicki has my vote of confidence and appreciation for the work he has done on behalf of the voters, taxpayers, teachers and students of Ventura County, and I urge his constituents in Simi Valley, Area 4, to elect him to a full four-year term to the Ventura County Board of Education.

Unlike local school boards in our county, the this board works on behalf of students throughout our county and programs for our atrisk students.

Mr. Kunicki's unique background in business and governance is extremely helpful as our county board works through issues of juvenile justice, interdistrict transfers, Williams' case complaints and audits of all 21 Ventura County school districts.

One program that I have seen Mr. Kunicki working toward on the state level is provision for affordable housing for our teachers. As a trustee for the Pleasant Valley School District (Camarillo), I have seen firsthand many of our wonderfully capable new teachers leave for other districts in the state where they can afford their first homes.

Mr. Kunicki has been working in Sacramento with our secretary of education to develop programs that will offer affordable housing opportunities for teachers. Our county needs him to continue in this important work.

The county board is admirable in that the five members are obviously of varied political and philosophical backgrounds, yet they are able to have dynamic discussion, come to a decision, and then work together as a team to implement those decisions.

Please remember to mail your absentee ballots or vote in person on Nov. 7, and be sure to vote for Dean Kunicki in Area 4, Simi Valley. Sandra Berg Simi Valley

Dean Kunicki is a very strong candidate for the County Board of Education and I felt compelled to express this to voters in the 4th District.

Dean is extremely focused and energetic in any cause he champions, and luckily for us in recent years he has championed education. He was an esteemed Simi Valley planning commissioner, and over the years has volunteered hundreds of hours to local charity causes, but today he serves the county school board.

We are lucky to have Dean Kunicki overseeing the county school office which only helps benefit us all here in Simi Valley and Moorpark. The biggest challenge with schools today by far is funding, and no one is a better watchdog over taxpayer dollars then Kunicki.

That alone is reason to vote for Dean, but he also offers so much more in terms of leadership. Please join me in voting for Dean Kunicki for the Ventura County Board of Education on Nov. 7. George Holmes Holmes Art Center Simi Valley