I have known Steve Sojka for many years, and know his intentions as mayor of Simi Valley are pure. He is raising his children here, watching them go through local public schools and is running a local small business with his wife.
Steve Sojka is running for mayor for the right reasons – he grew up here, and has a deep rooted interest in the growth and success of the community.
This is not about his opponent, though I can say I grew up with his children and am familiar with the candidate, but Steve Sojka is not seeking the mayor’s position for the title, or as a stepping stone toward another grand title.
I cannot think of a stronger candidate for mayor of Simi Valley than Steve Sojka. He has the experience, having served the City Council for consecutive terms, even as mayor pro-tem twice.
Sojka has been involved with our community, with his Rotary club for many years, even serving as its president once, and also serving the Simi Valley Police Foundation.
Steve Sojka has fresh ideas and fresh energy, and I will be voting for him on Nov. 2.
Terry Cummings,
Simi Valley
The landfill is in the County of Ventura so the County Board of Supervisors will be making the final decision on future expansions. Waste Management currently has an operating agreement that allows them to operate the landfill until the year 2035. They are looking to extend that for another 25 years.
The Environmental Impact Report for this project was released earlier this year which identified the impacts of this project. We are currently discussing those impacts to SV with Waste Management and the County Board of Supervisors and are demanding that they mitigate those impacts to protect our residents. Impacts include effects on our: Environment, Economy, Traffic and Air Quality.
We are also discussing the possibility of annexation in order that we would control the land uses surrounding the landfill. My opponent has criticized our City Council for not annexing the landfill prior to this so that we would have had control over the decision of this expansion. What he’s not telling you is the fact that you have to have willing landowners to annex like we did when we annexed the Reagan Library. Waste Management was not willing to annex their land or operation into the City prior to this because they knew that we could have denied their expansion efforts.
The only reason they are willing to talk about annexation now is the fact that any annexation would happen after their approved expansion. The reason the City Council is interested in annexing the land surrounding the landfill after the expansion is in order to have control over surrounding land uses. This would allow our community to decide which uses would be developed in the future, which could include such things as Movie Studios or a Hi Tech/Bio Tech Business Complex to create jobs or a permanent site for SV Days or a major First Class Sports Complex etc…
I personally do not prefer any expansion of our landfill but realize that we do not have the final decision in its approval. I am working hard on making sure that Simi Valley gets our fair share of benefits if this expansion is ultimately approved by the County Board of Supervisors.
Respectfully,
Steve Sojka
Considering we are braving the worst economic environment in 75 years, in Simi Valley we are fortunate to have a fiscally sound city government with a consistently balanced budget and a prudent reserve for emergencies. For that and many other reasons, I believe it is sensible to elect Steve Sojka as the next Simi Valley Mayor.
There is much to be said about continuity in the experience in running the city of Simi Valley, considering the economic challenges immediately past, current and upcoming.
Certainly there are other challenges to face, among them attracting and retaining big employers, public employees’ union negotiations and some major land-use matters to resolve. However, the biggest issue has to be how the city delivers services during this historic recession while still respecting taxpayers.
The city of Simi Valley has handled it well, and Steve Sojka has been there the entire time. Steve Sojka has grown up in this community, gone through our school system, is running his own business here and now his children are in local schools.
Steve Sojka has a vision for greatness for Simi Valley, and I plan on voting for him to see it through. Please considering doing the same.
Denise A. Houghton,
Simi Valley
As someone who commutes for work each day from Simi Valley to Santa Monica and back, thank you to the Acorn for the front-page article Oct. 8 on the 118 Freeway-widening project.
I see the work every day, and considering that the project affects over 100,000 vehicles daily, it is surprising that it did not receive more updates in the newspaper as it has progressed.
Today we can see how much better the Moorpark Freeway (23) operates with its widening project completed, as I utilize that route as well. Simi Valley residents and commuters are fortunate that our Ronald Reagan Freeway (118) was the next project on the list for improvement.
The Simi Valley freeway-widening project is the biggest issue facing this community, as it impacts everything from most employees each day to commerce to our economy on a broad sense. Simi Valley residents depend on it to get their kids to school and youth sports events, for shopping, for recreation and more.
We also should thank Simi Valley City Councilman Steve Sojka for continuing to follow and fight for this project. While the 118 project was next in line for funding, when our turn came, for some reason, someone up north decided it was not going to be automatic as it should have been.
Steve Sojka, as the city’s representative on the Ventura County Transportation Commission, went to work calling and meeting with representatives from the state and regional agencies to ensure the funding came our way and we received the freeway improvements we need and deserve.
In the process, Sojka even went a step further and had the project expedited. The icing on the cake right now is outlined in the story—the project is ahead of schedule.
It’s a wonderful story, and I was happy to see that the Acorn acknowledges the freeway project’s importance to our community with the front-page story. I look forward to the project’s completion and a smoother daily drive to work.
Michael Vazquez
Simi Valley
Simi Valley voters are about to select our next mayor, and I plan to vote for Steve Sojka to help lead our community in the future both for the next two years and hopefully well beyond.
Steve Sojka has been here consistently for this community, working for the city of Simi Valley, his community, his service club as well as for local nonprofit organizations. All of this he did while running his own business and raising a family here.
Sojka understands how to prioritize, succinctly presenting his platform in three strong legs: public safety, quality of life and economic vitality. His campaign thus far has not been a three-alarm fire drill jumping from issue to issue trying to generate the biggest headline.
He has a vision for Simi Valley, and in this voter’s opinion it is right for our community.
Sojka understands public safety is a top priority. He is the son of a former Simi Valley police chief, raised on the importance of a safe community. He now is a board member of the Simi Valley Police Foundation.
Simi Valley’s crime rate is down 40 percent from 20 years ago. Still, Sojka knows more can be done, such as in areas like property crimes. Working together, we can have an even safer community.
Maintaining and improving our quality of life means more than sitting on a panel making policy decisions for the city as a municipal corporation. Sojka gets it; he has been very involved with so many different organizations in our community. He was involved helping to get improved facilities for organizations such as Simi Youth Baseball, Simi Valley Girls Softball and Vikings Football.
For economic vitality, Sojka knows the pulse of the business community, being a member of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce since 1985 and serving as its vice president in 1996-97. He said this in a newspaper in 2005: “We want to promote and educate people on the advantages of shopping locally. When you buy something here in town, the tax base goes to our general fund, which pays for our police department, paves roads.”
Sensational headlines at election time are neat, but solid, consistent leadership has made Simi Valley the great place it is to live, work and raise a family. Please join me in voting for Steve Sojka on Nov. 2.
Tracy Rudzitis
Simi Valley
I have known Steve Sojka for many years. I am happy to support him for Simi Valley mayor.
In the more than four decades that Steve Sojka has been in Simi Valley, his contributions of time, energy and talent have been amazing. The dedication to his hometown is evident, and he is a candidate with a vision for our future, not merely a group of ideas.
This is very important. Every candidate for office has ideas, some new, some not so new; some good, some not so good. Many of these ideas are focused on challenges immediately before us or relatively short-term problems. But a strong candidate should have a long-term vision of where we want to go as a community and a road map for how to get there. Steve Sojka is that candidate in this election.
Steve Sojka is thoughtful, positive and considerate to all views and ideas. You can see it while he sits at the dais at City Council meetings; regardless of whether he is addressed with positive or negative comments, Steve Sojka is under control and treats residents and business owners with courtesy and respect.
Steve Sojka makes tough decisions when need be. Sometimes the city’s finances dictate that employees cannot get a pay raise or pension reform needs to be considered. Even though it might make some unhappy, Steve Sojka has taken into consideration the bigger picture of long-term fiscal stability and overall health for our city government. I respect that.
Steve Sojka has been consistent, rarely, if ever, missing a City Council meeting over many years and continuing to seek reelection even though the demands of his family, young children and private business present growing challenges. It would have been easy or tempting to walk away and be satisfied with a successful term or two, but Steve Sojka loves this community; he wants to continue to do more, and residents are urging him to continue to do more.
In the November election, I will vote for Steve Sojka for Simi Valley mayor. I invite you to review his goals and vision for our community. If you are convinced of his ability and dedication, please join me in voting for Steve Sojka on Nov. 2.
Mike McGuigan
Simi Valley
Simi Valley faces serious challenges during these daunting economic times, even as the city retains many enviable attributes including its impressive record as a safe and well-kept community.
Today as much as ever, therefore, Simi Valley residents have much at stake as they vote for a new mayor and elect two members of the City Council in the Nov. 2 election.
Between the well-publicized fiscal problems that afflict state and local governments, and the impending loss of a major employer in Simi Valley, the winners of the election will embark on what almost surely will be one of the more difficult periods in the city’s 41-year history.
Fortunately, the voters have able, tested candidates who have been on the job and who stand ready to continue serving for the good of the community.
The Star recommends Steve Sojka for mayor, succeeding outgoing Mayor Paul Miller, who decided not to run for re-election.
Also, The Star recommends incumbents Glen Becerra and Michelle Foster for re-election to the City Council.
Mr. Sojka is a business owner in the city, grew up in Simi Valley and has deep roots in the community. He is a 12-year member of the City Council, having been elected three times.
He is one of two strong candidates on the ballot for mayor. Bob Huber, chairman of the Ventura County Community College District board of trustees, also has a distinguished record of public service and community volunteerism, including as a member of the Simi Valley City Council from 1980 to 1984.
The Star believes the voters would be well served if either of these candidates is elected. On balance, our nod goes to Mr. Sojka. As a member of the council for the last dozen years, he is accomplished, articulate and possesses up-to-the-minute knowledge of significant city issues. He can shift gears and move seamlessly into the mayor’s role.
The Star also endorses Councilman Becerra and Councilwoman Foster for new, four-year terms. They, along with Councilman Sojka, have performed well under unusually hard circumstances. This recession hammered Simi Valley’s municipal revenue, and the council has made tough decisions to tighten up the city budget through spending cuts and other adjustments affecting such basic services as the police force.
As a result, there has been acrimony in some quarters, including criticism of the council. Yet, to the credit of the incumbents, they demonstrated leadership in looking out for the long-term interests of the community. They earned the right to ask voters for another term in office.
The new mayor and council members can look forward to more challenges ahead, and the incumbents appear to be up to the task. They are committed to dealing responsibly with the continuing fiscal pressures; protecting the city from adverse effects of the expansion of the neighboring landfill; and attracting new employers and helping local businesses to offset the anticipated loss of 1,200 jobs as Farmers Insurance closes its Simi Valley facility.
Sailing into such rough waters, we think the citizens’ best choices are Steve Sojka, Glen Becerra and Michelle Foster.
]]>Simi Valley once again showed pride in the community by sponsoring the Simi Valley Days Parade. It was so nice to see so many local organizations, children’s programs and local bands participating. There was also a wonderful turnout of citizens to watch the event.
I did make quite an interesting observation during the parade, as both Steve Sojka and Bob Huber, candidates for Simi Valley mayor, were present.
The first candidate to appear in the parade lineup was Steve Sojka. Steve was accompanied by many loyal supporters, running the gamut from very young to some of AARP age. Steve felt it was very important for the people of Simi Valley to know that he was and is there for them. He chose to walk the entire parade and shake the spectators’ hands along the route.
Bob Huber rode on the back of a red convertible and waved at the crowd. His car was surrounded by some young skateboarders.
I felt that this small, yet significant measure by Steve Sojka showed his true personality, leadership and ability to connect to the people of Simi Valley.
Who do you want for mayor— someone who sits on a car and waves at you or someone who actually gets in touch with you and listens to your concerns?
Sharon Martin
Simi Valley
I’ve owned my business for 11 years in the San Fernando Valley and would like to open a second location in Simi. I’ve read many negative stories about the difficulty to open a business here and allegations that the city isn’t pro-business.
I first began my project with Brian Gabler, director of economic development and assistant city manager. Brian has always gone out of his way to assist me in the process and has taken the time to ensure my project is progressing. Brian has spent a lot of time and effort to ensure my success.
Additionally, Steve Sojka, City Council member and current candidate for mayor, has helped me tremendously.
Steve has personally met with me and taken valuable time out of his busy schedule to assist me. Linda Swan, the new business liaison, attended my first meeting last week with building and safety, where she proved her worth.
Linda showed her ability to quickly come up to speed with my project and helped me to decipher the requirements. She asked the right questions and helped navigate the process to get my package ready for submittal. Linda has proven to be a valuable resource.
The investment in Linda will be paid back and then some with the tax revenue and economic stimulation she helps to bring the community in her role. This assistance was necessary to streamline the process for the average person.
I acknowledge and thank Brian, Steve, Linda and the city staff for their efforts. They have demonstrated exactly what the city needs to ensure that we proactively attract businesses to our community and ensure they can get through the system successfully.
These people have addressed my concerns, assisted me with road blocks and have ensured that my project will be heard by the planning commission in October.
Yes, there are areas that should be changed, but every business needs ongoing improvement, and the city is demonstrating their willingness to improve.
I’m thrilled to see Steve Sojka running for mayor, knowing the city will thrive under his leadership. Those opposed to Linda’s role, I encourage you to know your facts before you cast the negative doubt.
Forward-thinking leaders created this position to ensure businesses coming to our community are on the right track and successful in the process. New business equals jobs and tax revenue that benefit our city. That’s exactly what the economy needs to grow.
Kelly Kolarek
Simi Valley
It seems to me, if you want to judge the character of a person, one of the surest ways to do that is to look at what kind of children they’re raising. I’d like to share something about a man of character I did not know before last year.
In 1980, Steve Sojka’s father, Robert, a founding police officer and eventual chief of police in Simi, passed away. From conversations I’ve had with Mr. Sojka, this town wrapped their arms around his family and helped them through one of the most difficult times their family would face.
Last year, as you may have read about, our son David, 10, died tragically at football practice. We got to see firsthand the way Simi responds to tragedy, and much like it did for Mr. Sojka many years ago, Simi stepped up and surrounded our family with love and support. Much of the support came from our friends, church, schools and sports organizations. But we also had strangers step forward and help however they could.
One of these strangers was a young lady named Shantel Sojka, Steve’s daughter. She was touched by what had happened to David and wanted to do something, so she helped organize a Powder Puff football game between the female athletes at Royal and Simi high schools.
This high school student’s efforts helped raise $3,000 for David’s memorial fund. No small feat. For our part, we have continued to give back.
Most of David’s memorial funds have gone back to local organizations here in Simi: sports leagues, The Samaritan Center, Care and Share and David’s elementary school. David would have wanted to help his friends and those in Simi who are in need, just like Shantel and just like Steve Sojka.
I don’t know Steve’s opponent for mayor, but I do know Mr. Sojka and Shantel, and from what my family has seen firsthand, they are the kind of caring people that brought us to Simi Valley to raise our children in the first place. Thank you, Shantel; your dad has our vote for mayor.
Bart and Leslie Sumner
Simi Valley