Santa Clarita School Election : Mailer Error Inadvertent, Foes of Developer Tax Say

A spokesman for a developer-backed group opposing six school-tax measures to be voted on today in the Santa Clarita Valley said Monday that the organization failed to file required financial disclosure documents because of a misunderstanding.

“We didn’t mean to do anything illegal,” said Richard Wirth, of the Citizens for State Supported Schools, the group formed by the Building Industry Assn. of Southern California to fight the tax propositions. He said the group has corrected its mistake.

The leader of a Santa Clarita Valley group campaigning for the measures--which propose to tax developers to pay for school construction--filed a complaint Monday with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s Office charging that a mailer sent to voters by the developers’ group violated county and state election laws.

Statement Not Filed

The mailer was illegal under county law because the developer did not file a financial statement with election officials by May 21, said Rita Garasi, chairwoman of Santa Clarita Valley Taxpayers for Responsible Growth.

Wirth said he informed the registrar-recorder’s office late Monday afternoon that the developers’ group spent $12,979 to send voters the mailer opposing Propositions A through F.

Stella Matthews, an elections official, confirmed that the county office had received the group’s statement.

Representatives of the developers’ group telephoned the state Fair Political Practices Commission to inquire about proper procedure before the mailer was sent, Wirth said.

“It was a misunderstanding between our people and the FPPC,” he said. “We weren’t trying to pull a fast one.”

The measures, on the ballot in the Castaic, Newhall, Saugus, Sulphur Springs and William S. Hart school districts, propose taxing developers an average of about $6,000 for each home they build.

Because of rapid housing construction, the Santa Clarita Valley’s student population is expected to double to more than 40,000 by the year 2000. School administrators say they need to be assured there will be enough money--about $300 million--to build at least 25 schools within the next 20 years.

Narrowly Failed in November

Similar tax measures on the ballot last November received an average of 61% of the vote, narrowly failing to receive the two-thirds margin required for passage. School administrators attributed their loss to several mailers financed by developers.

The developers’ group was formerly known as Santa Clarita Citizens for Unfair Taxes but changed its name to Citizens for State Supported Schools in March.

Wirth said the developers’ group intends to clarify what is required and correct whatever is necessary. In that case, Garasi said, she probably will not pursue a complaint.

“If they just can’t do their bookkeeping, all is forgiven,” she said. “But it’s not that they didn’t do anything illegal. This is ridiculous. Based on the campaign they ran last time, it’s amazing that they couldn’t figure out what forms to file and when to file them.”