THOUSAND OAKS : Jungleland Petition Victory Claimed

A Thousand Oaks group opposing development of the former Jungleland site said Thursday that it has collected enough signatures to place a measure on the November ballot.

The Committee for Government by the People and for the People has about 8,000 signatures and 5,553 are needed to qualify for the ballot, said Dick Booker, a spokesman for the organization.

“We have a comfortable margin,” Booker said.

The organization opposes the proposed $63-million project that includes a civic center and arts auditorium at the site of the former wild animal park.

The initiative, if successful, would prohibit the use of the proceeds of the sale of city property to fund the new government center.

Mayor Alex Fiore said the petition drive was improper.

“We’ve worked on this project many, many years,” Fiore said. “This is a representative form of government and the representatives were elected by the people to make decisions.”

Councilman Frank Schillo said the organization should have challenged the decision to sell city assets to buy the Jungleland site two years ago.

“He had 30 days after the council made its decision, and there were no challenges. Now, two years later, he decides to create an initiative,” Schillo said.

But Booker said the purpose of the initiative is to allow the public to vote on the proposed project.