May 24, 2007

For Immediate Release

Zaragoza Announces Intent to Run for Board of Supervisors

John C. Zaragoza, Oxnard City Council member, successful small business owner and community leader, announced today that he intends to run for Fifth District County Supervisor. Zaragoza says, “ I am proud of my accomplishments working on the Oxnard City Council. It would be an honor and a privilege to serve as your representative on the Board of Supervisors. I am sure that, working together, we could accomplish great things”. 

Why Is John Zaragoza the best-qualified person for the Board of Supervisors / Fifth District?

John Zaragoza is a leader who brings people together. He has experience in building successful work teams and community coalitions. It’s no secret there is a great deal of tension and dissension in the Board of Supervisors right now. There is the perception that our current Supervisor has not been able to work cooperatively with the other Supervisors, with County staff, with the City of Oxnard and with local community leaders. Whether this perception is fair or not, the perception is prominent, and it keeps important projects from being accomplished and it is hurting our community.    

John Zaragoza has been successful in building teams and coalitions that take action and implement important projects and programs: 

• Opposed LNG Facility- John was a key leader and worked successfully with other elected officials and community leaders in opposing the LNG Facility 

• Wetlands at Ormond Beach- worked successfully with elected officials and community leaders to enhance the Ormond Beach wetlands area.    

• Recycling and Environmental Programs- During his tenure as City Solid Waste Superintendent, Zaragoza and his team implemented award winning recycling and environmental education programs. As a Council member, he has been a strong supporter of water recycling and other environmental programs.

• Supporting Local Military Bases- Mr. Zaragoza for many years has been a member of BRAC and RDP-21, programs that have successfully lobbied Congress to keep our local Navy bases open and retain local military jobs.  

• Constructing Affordable Housing – The City of Oxnard has an award winning affordable housing program.  Mr. Zaragoza is a key proponent of this program. 

• Creating Jobs- More than 16,000 jobs were created and average wages increased by 25% during the time that Mr. Zaragoza has been on the City Council.

• Supporting Police Officers and Firefighters – Forty One (41) new Police officer positions and 24 new Firefighter positions were created since Mr. Zaragoza was elected in 1996.   

Meanwhile, at the Channel Islands Harbor, businesses are closing and harbor facilities are in danger of falling apart due to lack of maintenance and neglect. In El Rio and Nyeland Acres, streets are flooding and falling behind on repairs, and there has been little action taken on needed water and sewer improvements. And in the beach areas, a needed boating safety center has not been started, even though there are hundreds of thousands of grant funded dollars available and waiting to construct this new center.  

To make good things happen, we need a Supervisor who can bring people together to support public safety programs and to continue to improve the quality of life for our residents. John Zaragoza has shown, over and over, that he is a leader who can bring people together.

Zaragoza says, “I am a fortunate man. I had a wonderful career as an administrator at the City of Oxnard. I have a wonderful family, a successful small business and a great position as an Oxnard City Council member.  Now, it is my turn to give more to the community that has given so much to me. That’s why I want to serve you on the Board of Supervisors.”

Zaragoza plans to spend the next several months reaching out to the residents and business representatives in the Fifth District. He looks forward to the opportunity to listen and explore the concerns, issues and needs of the community.

For more information, please contact Mr. Zaragoza at his business office (Home Center Real Estate) at (805) 485- 1825.

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