Occupation: Retired general manager and chief engineer for Casitas Municipal Water District.
Education: Bachelor's degree in civil engineering from University of Nebraska.
Background: Council member for three years. Served on Ojai Unified School District board for 6 1/2 years in 1970s. Worked for the Casitas Water District for for 23 years.
Issues: McKinney favors demolishing the Libbey Park jail to make room for more picnic areas unless the public wants to preserve the jail. He wants to improve air quality in Ojai Valley and opposes the proposed Weldon Canyon landfill. He supports forming an agency to represent the interests of all Ojai Valley communities.
Oxnard Mayor
Five candidates are running for the mayor's post, which is a two-year term. Candidates say the most pressing issue facing the city is a money shortage that has whittled away at city services in recent years.
Anthony De La Cerda
Age: 22
Occupation: Full-time student at Oxnard College.
Education: Graduate, Channel Islands High School.
Background: Navy reservist; video producer.
Issues: De La Cerda supports efforts to develop new jobs and retain the ones already in Oxnard. He also supports private, nonprofit partnerships to better parks and recreation programs.
Oscar Karrin
Age: 76
Occupation: Retired businessman.
Education: Business certificate, Interboro Institute, New York.
Background: 41-year member of Boy Scouts of America; board of directors for Food Share and the Commission on Human Concerns.
Issues: Karrin supports the development of affordable housing and opposes agreements that give developers tax incentives to locate in the city. He also opposes city protection of mobile home park owners in the event of lawsuits.
Manuel M. Lopez
Age: 65
Occupation: Oxnard city councilman; optometrist.
Education: Bachelor's degree in life sciences and doctorate in optometry from UC Berkeley.
Background: City councilman for 14 years. Member of the Oxnard Boys and Girls Club, the Optimist Club and the Elks Lodge. Founder of the Oxnard-Ocotlan Sister City Committee.
Issues: Lopez wants to hire more police officers and supports continued emphasis on community-based policing. He wants to provide more affordable housing, and supports continued economic development efforts to boost sales tax revenue and provide jobs.
Michael A. Plisky
Age: 51
Occupation: Oxnard city councilman; business and tax consultant.
Education: Bachelor's degree in business management from USC. Certified to practice before the Internal Revenue Service.
Background: City councilman for nearly six years. Member of the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Advisory Commission, Noontime Lions Club and Oxnard Union High School District advisory committee.
Issues: Plisky wants priority given to financing the expansion of the police force and supports the creation of new jobs through economic development. He wants to see aggressive code enforcement and public works programs to beautify the city. He supports establishing a permanent greenbelt between Oxnard and Ventura.
John Quigley
Age: 42
Occupation: Sewage treatment operator, city of Oxnard
Education: Bachelor's degree in social psychology, Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Associate of arts degree in public communications, Mt. Wachusett Community College, Mass.
Background: Served in the Coast Guard reserve, 1968 to 1974. Member of the American Waterworks Assn., Water Pollution Control Federation and National Wildlife Federation.
Issues: Quigley supports greater council oversight of departmental budgets and more funding of police and fire services. He wants neighborhood councils to bring issues before city officials once a month. He seeks greater support of the city's small business community.
Oxnard Council
Nine candidates, including two incumbents, are running at large for two seats on the City Council. Council members will serve four-year terms. Major issues in the race include the need to generate revenue, expand the police force and strengthen parks and recreation programs.
Deborah L. DeMoss
Age: 38
Occupation: Homemaker and child care provider.
Education: Graduate of Loara High School in Anaheim; two semesters of nursing education at Fullerton and Cypress community colleges.
Background: Volunteer food distribution worker.
Issues: She wants to save money by freezing the salaries of the city manager, city attorney and all department heads. She supports the expansion of the police force and the development of youth activities.
Geraldine W. Furr
Age: 69
Occupation: Oxnard councilwoman for four years; retired city treasurer.
Education: One year of business classes at the University of Oklahoma.
Background: Past president of the California Municipal Treasurers Assn.; past president of the women's division of the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce and the Oxnard Girls Club.
Issues: She supports the expansion of the police force to combat gangs and drugs, and favors continuing economic development programs to generate city revenue independent of state money.
Andres Herrera
Age: 46
