Local News in Brief : Conejo Chamber of Commerce Opposes Property Tax Plan

The board of directors of the Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce has come out against a June ballot measure that would impose a $77-per-parcel property tax in Thousand Oaks to fund reductions in school class sizes.

The board said the tax is not needed because the Conejo Valley Unified School District is already expecting a large increase in state funding as well as revenue from the new state lottery. The board also said the expected reduction in class size is insufficient to warrant the extra tax burden.

Besides, the group said, the special election should be held in November to save the $40,000 it will cost to hold it in June.

Supporters of the proposal, called Measure K, say the tax will raise $2.77 million a year for four years, funds that would be used to hire 82 more teachers. Average class sizes would be reduced by four students, they say.

School board member Ellyn Wilkins, a leading supporter of the measure, dismissed the importance of the chamber’s position, saying “They haven’t done anything to support education in this community.”