Tag: Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA)

Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — VCTA – Unchecked Power, Sticky Notes, and a $1 Million Merchandise Bill

by Community Contributor • October 29, 2026 • Comments Off

Under Ventura County’s current structure, voting for the Ventura County Superintendent of Education hands virtually unchecked power to the winner. Because the position is independently elected rather than appointed, the Ventura County Board of Education lacks direct oversight over the Superintendent’s day-to-day administrative and financial decisions. This structural loophole leaves taxpayers vulnerable to unchecked administrative spending—with no real institutional watchdog inside the office to rein it in.

Guest contribution — Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — School Bonds Are Back on the November Ballot? Both of Them Get a NO VOTE from VCTA!

by Community Contributor • September 21, 2026 • Comments Off

Two school general-obligation bonds will appear on local November 3rd ballots. Rio Elementary Measure B and Santa Paula Unified Measure C asks K–12 taxpayers to take on decades of new property-tax debt for projects that look a lot like the last ask.

Santa Paula Measure C — $48.6 million. Voters already said NO.

Measure C would issue $48.6 million at about $27.98 per $100,000 of assessed value to rebuild a gymnasium, build community swimming-pool facilities, and modernize vocational and performing-arts space. It needs 55 percent.

Guest contribution — Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) announces 2026 Voter Guide

by Community Contributor • September 17, 2026 • Comments Off

COMPLETE VCTA VOTER GUIDE HERE

Guest Commentary — Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — Ventura County Office of Education Update — Accountability

by Community Contributor • August 10, 2026 • Comments Off

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805

Structural Governance Gaps Are the Center Question

Guest commentary — Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — Should you be concerned by the clear slowdown in labor force growth in Ventura County?

by Community Contributor • August 5, 2026 • Comments Off

The labor force represents all residents in the jurisdiction who voluntarily seek employment. Not all residents seek employment because they (1) are not of age, (2) are retired, (3) are not capable of working, or (4) simply choose not to participate in the workforce.

Guest commentary — Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — ‘Why Ventura County Must Vote Yes on Proposition 43’

by Community Contributor • July 30, 2026 • Comments Off

For nearly half a century, Proposition 13 has served as California’s bedrock defense against unsustainable taxation and fiscal overreach. By capping property tax rates and establishing clear supermajority vote requirements for special taxes, voters created a stable framework designed to keep homeowners in their homes and ensure local governments live within their means.

However, over the past decade, judicial rulings have eroded these core taxpayer protections.

Guest contribution — Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — Higher Grocery Bills Starting August 3rd

by Community Contributor • July 22, 2026 • Comments Off

When state lawmakers pass complex environmental mandates in Sacramento, they rarely frame them as tax hikes. Instead, they use promises of “producer responsibility” and “sustainability.” But when the bill comes due, it is always California taxpayers and everyday consumers who end up footing the tab.

Guest contribution — Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — A Declaration of Independence

by Community Contributor • July 6, 2026 • Comments Off

… At VCTA, we believe it is time to declare our own independence—not from individuals, but from habits that no longer serve taxpayers, students or our community.

Guest contribution — Ventura County Taxpayers Association — A $30 million loan, a $314 million debt, and one simple question

by Community Contributor • June 29, 2026 • Comments Off

The Ventura County Taxpayers Association has been reviewing the proposed FY 2026-27 budget for the Ventura County Medical System (VCMS), and one issue stands out above all others:

VCMS continues to rely on borrowing to fund its operations.

Guest contribution — Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — Legacy Items, Limited Oversight

by Community Contributor • June 29, 2026 • Comments Off

Legacy Items, Limited Oversight: VCTA Pushes for Structural Change at VCOE

Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) 2026 Economic Outlook Report is HERE!

by Community Contributor • April 16, 2026 • Comments Off

Download the 2026 Economic Outlook Report presented at our April 14th VCTF event.

This comprehensive report is presented by Dr. Mark Schniepp from the California Economic Forecast.

Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — VCMS: County launches $180M PLA before study concludes

by Community Contributor • March 31, 2026 • Comments Off

On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, the Board voted 5-0 to move forward with a massive construction project under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA). This decision was made despite a promised key study that isn’t even finished yet.

The Broken Promise of 2020

Back in 2020, a different group of Supervisors started a $90 million pilot study. The plan was to build four small projects to compare union-only contracts (PLAs) against regular competitive bidding. The Board promised they wouldn’t expand these union-only rules until a full “cost and performance study” was finished.