Moorpark to Put Parks Tax on November Ballot

MOORPARK — The Moorpark City Council decided Wednesday night to call for an election in November for a special tax to pay for parks maintenance.

Richard Hare, deputy city manager, said the proposed tax is necessary to make up about $607,000 that the city could lose from its parks assessment district because of Proposition 218, a statewide tax-cutting measure approved by voters in November.

The city pays for park maintenance with funds raised through two assessment districts. Proposition 218 could wipe out both districts, leaving the city with no means of maintaining its parks.

Taking a lead from Councilman John Wozniak, the council decided that a special tax for a specific use--parks--would be an easier sell to the public than a general tax increase.

“We need to be straightforward” about the purpose of the tax, Wozniak said. “This is what it’s going to be used for.”

Jere Robings, president of the Ventura County Alliance of Taxpayers, told council members that they should follow the letter of Proposition 218 and move cautiously in putting forth any tax proposal.

City Manager Steve Kueny recommended that the council not consider a business license tax at this time. An earlier staff report put such a levy at $650 per year, but Kueny said the average would be closer to $100 for most businesses.

“We would not be ready to propose a business license tax for the November ballot,” he said.

Robings said he was relieved to hear that the city was backing off on that plan.

“Small business people in this county would rise up in a riot,” he said.

The parks maintenance tax plan will be placed on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. It is estimated that the election will cost taxpayers $5,000.