FORUM—From left, Ruth Luevanos, Joe Piechowski and Bernardo Perez take part in a neighborhood discussion board for candidates of the Ventura County Community College District on the High Street Arts Center Oct. 1 in Moorpark. The occasion was hosted by the League of Women Voters Ventura County and the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce. MICHAEL COONS/Acorn Newspapers
Taxes, campus demonstrations, and boosting enrollment and commencement charges have been the main target of a candidates discussion board for the Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees, held Tuesday on the High Street Arts Center in Moorpark.
The discussion board featured three candidates searching for to signify Area 4, which incorporates Moorpark and Simi Valley. Incumbent Bernardo Perez, together with challengers Ruth Luevanos and Joe Piechowski, mentioned their visions for the way forward for the neighborhood faculties.
The nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Ventura County and the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce sponsored the controversy, with League member David Maron moderating. Candidates gave opening and shutting statements, and answered questions from the viewers.
Perez, a longtime Moorpark resident, is searching for his fifth time period after serving on the board for 14 years. He beforehand served on the Moorpark City Council, together with as mayor.
He now chairs the neighborhood school board and represents Ventura County on a statewide board, and can be lively in civic organizations just like the Workforce Investment Board and the Simi Valley Hospital Foundation whereas working in financial growth.
Perez highlighted Moorpark College’s nationwide rating as fourth amongst 1,200 neighborhood faculties and its choice as a high 10 finalist for the nationwide 2025 Aspen Prize for neighborhood school exCollege cellence. He additionally famous district packages providing free tuition, zero-cost textbooks, twin enrollment for top schoolers, and new four-year bachelor’s levels in any respect three faculties.
The incumbent described the challenges the district faces, together with financial pressures from a looming state deficit.
“Our colleges truly create hope and opportunity and transform lives,” Perez mentioned. “But we must continue meeting the needs of our students, especially in challenging times.”
Piechowski, a Simi Valley resident and co-founder of a UCLA sports activities weblog, has served as a commissioner for the Area Housing Authority of Ventura County and was the chair of Simi Valley’s Neighborhood Council 4.
He entered the race after opposing an $820 million bond proposal that was practically positioned on the November poll by the faculty board, noting Perez voted to place it on the poll.
“Our incumbent trustee and the community college district administrators have lost touch with reality,” Piechowski mentioned.
He additional recognized the twin enrollment program, which permits highschool college students to earn school credit, as some of the invaluable initiatives within the district.
Piechowski pledged to proceed to broaden it, whereas additionally advocating for extra funding in commerce schooling.
He additionally weighed in on demonstrations at school campuses, saying he helps the First Amendment and free speech.
But when demonstrations like these at UCLA and elsewhere across the nation “flip into conditions the place you bought terrorist sympathizers stopping college students
