As Audra Strickland’s time in the state assembly draws to a close, and with little to show for it save a steady paycheck, she has announced she will move to Thousand Oaks and run against popular fellow Republican Linda Parks for County Supervisor.  Parks, who enjoys rare bi-partisan support, was elected District 2 Supervisor in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006.

In making her announcement, Strickland blasted Parks as being a “carpetbagger from Berkeley.”   It was a rough start for Strickland with this swing and a miss as Parks has never lived in Berkeley.  In fact, it is Strickland who re-registered to vote in the 2nd Supervisoral District only two weeks ago for the sole purpose of qualifying to run.

Strickland cited support and urging from the GOP Central Committee in her decision to run and has stated that she was surprised by a recent push poll they commissioned which attempted to discredit Park’s record.  It is interesting to note that the GOP Central Committee members include Strickland’s husband Tony Strickland, her mother-in-law, a former staff member and his wife, a business partner, and a businessman who has received more that 1.5 million in business from the Stricklands.

In the past, the majority of campaign funding for Strickland came from outside of her district and included contributions from big tobacco, horse racing, and indian gambling interests.

Come to the local campaign kick-off for the California Fair Elections Act! Join Assemblymembers Pedro Nava and Julia Brownley, Ventura County Supervisors Steve Bennett, Kathy Long, Linda Parks, & John Zaragoza, campaign chair Trent Lange, and others so you can help pass Fair Elections that money can’t buy!

WHEN: Sunday, March 14 from 2pm-4pm
WHERE: Camarillo Library. 4101 Las Posas Road., Camarillo
RSVP: www.yesfairelections.org or 818-889-1039

The California Fair Elections Act (CFEA) represents fundamental election reform that will allow candidates and elected officials to get out of the money game and get back to solving California’s problems by creating a pilot project for a voluntary Fair Elections public financing system of campaigns similar to those in seven other states.

Assemblymembers Pedro Nava and Julia Brownley and Ventura County Supervisors Steve Bennett, Kathy Long, Linda Parks, and John Zaragoza — all endorsers of the California Fair Elections Act — will talk about why they support it and why all Californians should!

Trent Lange, Chair of Californians for Fair Elections, will talk about how the system works and the statewide campaign to pass the proposition.

We will end with a brainstorming and organizing session for the new local grassroots coalition to support the campaign by building support locally.

Please invite anyone you know who is sick of the outrageous amount of money in politics and might be interested in helping bring about Fair Elections.  Imagine what California could be if our elected officials could focus on governing instead of fundraising!

SPONSORS: California Clean Money Campaign, California Common Cause, California Nurses Association, League of Women Voters of California, SOAR, Rainbow Alliance, Midtown Ventura Community Council, Democratic Clubs of Conejo, Ojai, Oxnard, Ventura, Simi, Santa Clara Valley, Conejo Womens Council, Ventura County National Women’s Political Caucus, PDA of VC, Social Action Committee Ventura Unitarian Church, DFA of VC, Arts 4 Action, VC Young Dems, VCCool, Stonewall Dems, Los Padres Sierra Club plus additional groups joining every day.  To find out about adding your organization to the list, contact ventura-info@caclean.org