Countywide : Thousand Oaks, Ojai Back Sales Tax Hike

Thousand Oaks and Ojai have joined eight other Ventura County cities in supporting a ballot measure that would raise a local sales tax half a cent to pay for road construction.

Both city councils voted unanimously Tuesday night to place the measure, which would help the county take advantage of new gasoline taxes, before voters in November. The measure needs support from a majority of the county’s 10 cities to qualify for the ballot.

The issue now goes to the Board of Supervisors on July 2 for final approval.

According to officials, if voters approve the half-cent sales tax, the county could receive $130 million for road work over the next 10 years. The county would already receive $200 million of the $18.5 billion expected to be raised under Proposition 111, a 9-cent-a-gallon gas tax approved by voters in June.