Not impressed by Mikels

I have known Judy Mikels for 16 years. I volunteered for some of her early campaigns and was a paid member of her staff for two years. I considered myself a friend and a supporter as recently as her last bid for reelection in 2002, which I believed would be her last bid for public office before retiring to her home in Tucson, Ariz.

I remember a Judy Mikels who was once a hard working and dedicated public servant. Unfortunately, after 12 years on the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, the Judy Mikels I knew no longer exisits.

I can attest that Judy Mikels is an absentee supervisor, drawing a full-time salary of more than $100,000 a year for only part-time work. She is not accessible to the general public and worst of all, she is lying to the people she is supposed to represent.

Her last two chiefs of staff- Keith Jajko and John Magness- could provide the truth, but I wouldn't count on honesty from either of them.

When I was on Judy's staff, Keith Jajko used to complain bitterly about her frequent trips to Tucson and lack of time in the district. Keith is now a paid campaign consultant to Mikels' campaign.

John Magness regularly complained about Judy's extensive travel outside of California. John is currently on staff at Waste Management Inc., working with Mikels to expand the landfill four times its current size and turn Simi Valley and Moorpark into a mega-dump.

The truth is Mikels often avoided her staff, and more importantly, the voters, while working in the rock garden of her Tucson home.

Simi Valley and Moorpark deserve far better than what Judy Mikels represents. Jason Oliver Simi Valley