Simon’s campaign trail includes stop in Agoura

By John Loesing newstip@theacorn.com

Bill Simon

Southern California’s housing crisis will continue to deteriorate unless state officials take immediate action to reduce the cost of development and smooth the way for new construction starts, former gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon told the local Chamber of Commerce last week.

Simon, who lost by 5 percentage points to Gray Davis in the 2002 election and later helped bankroll the Davis recall, was guest speaker at a March 10 breakfast hosted by the Agoura/Oak Park/Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce in Agoura Hills.

Simon is a Republican candidate for state treasurer in 2006.

"We need to build more homes," Simon said. "We’re supposed to build 250,000 units and we’re only building about 150,000 a year statewide."

Strict rules regarding the home construction industry have impeded progress, he said. The building climate must change. "That’s going to be the only thing that will encourage builders to build homes," Simon said. "I want to be the builder."

He also emphasized the need to improve the small businesses climate in California.

The Pacific Palisades resident gained party prominence when he erased a 40-point deficit in the final two months of the gubernatorial primary and beat Richard Riordan by an 18-point landslide. He joined the race again as a recall candidate in 2003, but his efforts became overshadowed by the introduction of Arnold Schwarzenegger onto the political scene.

Simon said he supports Schwarzenegger’s move to streamline workers’ compensation and reform the state’s public pension programs.

California’s $32 billion pension deficit resulted from three factors, Simon said. The stock market crashed, the state’s investments under-performed, and the legislature "gave away the store" with regard to public expenditures.

Simon hopes to replace incumbent treasurer Phil Angelides, a Democrat, who plans to make his own challenge for governor next year.

Simon’s strong business background makes him attractive to conservative voters who favor tighter controls on state spending.

Among his ventures, the son of former U.S. Treasurer William Simon helped found the PAX television network, served as chairman of the Beacon moving company, and worked on Wall Street where he helped manage a $1 billion investment portfolio.

But as he pointed out, "California is not a great place to do business."

Simon told the Chamber audience that small businesses have been hit particularly hard, noting that 90 percent of California businesses have under 100 employees.

Big government often hurts small business.

"I think government by and large is an impediment," he said.