EXPANSION OF TRANSIT PANEL BACKED; COUNTY, 10 CITY COUNCILS WOULD BE REPRESENTED ON COMMISSION OVERSEEING FUNDS.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

A proposal to expand the county's Transportation Commission, to include one member from each of the 10 city councils in the county as well as all five county supervisors, got backing from the supervisors Tuesday on a 4-1 vote.

``It gives a fair opportunity for all (local) governments to (get) transportation money, so they can get their projects funded,'' said Supervisor Frank Schillo, who introduced the proposal from a countywide committee representing city governments.

Schillo said residents of some Ventura County cities feel unfairly treated in transportation planning because nobody from their city council has a vote on the commission, which oversees more than $60 million a year in transportation revenue from federal and state taxes.

Schillo said the transportation center in Thousand Oaks was almost taken off the commission's funding list a couple years ago, and there was no Thousand Oaks City Council member on the commission to defend the proposal. Schillo, serving on the commission as a county supervisor, said he spoke up for the project, which eventually got funded.

The state Legislature, which created the commission a decade ago, and Gov. Gray Davis will decide whether to enact the restructuring plan approved by the supervisors.

Supervisor Susan Lacey cast the lone dissenting vote, saying she sees no evidence the commission needs overhauling.

``To put it briefly, it's working,'' she said. ``There was no supporting data as to why we need to change.''

Supervisor Kathy Long voted for the expansion but said she would push for an amendment of the proposed legislation so the commission could keep two voting representatives of the public at large who are not members of any city council or of the Board of Supervisors.

Now serving on the commission are city government representatives from Simi Valley, Port Hueneme and Ventura, Supervisors Schillo and Lacey and two at-large commissioners.

Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Santa Paula, and Ventura city councils already have approved the restructuring plan.

Camarillo, Fillmore, Oxnard, Ojai and Port Hueneme councils all were expected to vote on the proposal by Jan. 20.

Rex Laird, executive director of the Ventura County Farm Bureau, said he hopes a restructured commission would protect agricultural interests, not let cities override them.

``What we're concerned about is that we have a voice on the commission,'' he said. ``We see the supervisors as that voice. They represent the unincorporated areas. We certainly don't look to the cities to be the bodies that represent our interests.''

Long said the board will ask state Sen. Cathie Wright, R-Simi Valley, to sponsor the proposed legislation.