VENTURA : Chamber to Endorse Council Candidates

For the first time in its history, the Ventura Chamber of Commerce is planning to endorse candidates in the City Council race, to combat what some chamber members see as the council’s “anti-business” attitude.

Chamber of Commerce President Gene Daffern said the council’s anti-business posture shows in recent decisions that, he said, helped push 45 businesses that were members of the chamber to move out of Ventura last year and 16 to leave so far this year.

Daffern cited the council’s recent decision to stall housing development, its proposal to require downtown merchants to make buildings earthquake-proof and its failure to back a state water pipeline to Ventura as examples of an anti-business stance.

“We would like to see people put in who are more favorable to business than some members of the current council,” Daffern said.

Daffern said the chamber members have not decided who they will back or oppose in the November election for seats now held by Councilman John McWherter, Deputy Mayor Donald Villeneuve and Mayor Richard Francis.

Chamber member Bob Alviani said the council has done little to encourage businesses to move into Ventura’s vacant buildings, such as those left by several car dealerships along Thompson Boulevard and Main Street over the past two years.

Alviani and Daffern said that by mid-July, an ad-hoc committee of chamber members probably will recommend candidates for the full chamber to endorse.