ELECTIONS MUNICIPAL ISSUES, PROPOSITION 172 : Simi Voters Split on Store Proposal : In Oak Park, two incumbents were leading in the advisory council race, and the sales tax increase was winning in the county.

Simi Valley voters, torn about whether Wal-Mart should build a discount department store on a hillside earmarked for a regional mall, were sharply divided in early returns Tuesday on the Measure V initiative.

Backers of Measure V argued that a Wal-Mart would bring jobs to the city and foes contended that the chain would drive out mom-and-pop businesses. Both economic arguments apparently resonated with voters in a race too close to call.

In early results from another east Ventura County election, the Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council, incumbents Kent Behringer and Ronald Stark were leading and newcomer J. Paul Fredericks, 38, a budget administrator for an aerospace company, was in third place. As representatives of the affluent unincorporated community, the three have pledged to lobby for more services from the county.

And voters countywide appeared to be favoring Proposition 172, which would make permanent a half-cent addition to California’s sales tax, with the revenue tagged for law enforcement and fire protection.

“I’m pleased, because this means we will be able to fund our public safety as we would like to,” Supervisor Maggie Kildee said. “I’m surprised--I had not had a lot of hope that it would pass in Ventura County.”

Sheriff Larry Carpenter added: “It’s a start. The public has for the last year considered law enforcement a priority.”

County officials had campaigned vigorously for the sales tax measure, on the ballot as Proposition 172. Without revenue from the tax--projected to bring Ventura County $28 million next year--officials predicted cuts in fire protection, crime fighting and other government services.

The smoke billowing over eastern Ventura County Tuesday gave added urgency to their pleas.

But during the campaign, taxpayer groups dismissed the county’s grim predictions as a smoke screen, reminding voters that the tax would hit their wallets with every purchase. Some foes of Proposition 172 also suggested the money would be squandered, and not spent on vital services.

“I think the Police Department and the Fire Department need to trim their bureaucracy,” said Ventura resident Doris Goldstein, a property manager and real estate agent. Nonetheless, she voted in favor of Proposition 172, because, she said, “the half-cent sales tax won’t make that big a difference on anybody’s pocketbook.”

Backed by a $60,000 Wal-Mart war chest, supporters of the discount chain flooded voters with propaganda promising that the store would bring 300 new jobs to Simi Valley and significantly boost the city’s sales tax revenue.

Those economic arguments swayed some voters sick of slogging through a seemingly endless recession.

“Anything that can help the economy these days is well worth it,” Jim Cullins, 42, said after casting his ballot in favor of Wal-Mart. “I’m in construction, and I know it’s bad out there.”

But for many voters, the decision came down to personal shopping preference rather than grandiose economic theories.

Resident Linda Nies, for one, said she opposed Wal-Mart because “we’ve already got that kind of discount shopping here,” with K mart and Target stores. “I’d rather see a mall here,” Nies said.

Yet, others scoffed at the idea of a tony regional mall in Simi Valley. “These are Wal-Mart people around here, not Saks Fifth Avenue people,” said Carole Fisher, 51.

Another Wal-Mart backer, 63-year-old Marilyn Krupnik, added: “I like the idea of decent prices.”

During the heated campaign, the discount chain argued that Wal-Mart would actually pave the way for future development of a mall by building roads and installing water and electricity lines to the hillside.

Unconvinced, several voters said they feared Wal-Mart’s presence would deter upscale stores from moving in--or destroy existing small businesses. Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest chain of discount department stores, was recently convicted of “predatory pricing” in Arkansas.

With the economy so slow, many voters focused on jobs and prices when evaluating Measure V.

But Wal-Mart foes--grouped as the Coalition to Save the Environment, Jobs and Business--also raised some alarm about development marring the pristine hillside, near 1st Street above the Simi Valley Freeway.

“Do we want to start carving into our hillsides for such a reason?” asked Brent Richter, 25. “The answer is no.”

In Oak Park, the newly seated members of the Municipal Advisory Council have all pledged to focus on bringing more services to their constituents.

Their goals include a new library and separate ZIP code for Oak Park, quicker ambulance response to medical emergencies, and access to a Thousand Oaks bus line. They will also consider forming community service districts to take control of parks, transportation, utilities and landscaping.

The five-member Municipal Advisory Council, or MAC, has clashed repeatedly with Ventura County Supervisor Maria VanderKolk. MAC members have often complained that their affluent community does not get a fair share of services from the county.

As election results trickled in, incumbent Behringer, the leader in early returns, said, “No matter who wins, Oak Park cannot lose. I haven’t run across too many people I wouldn’t trust with civic association duties. Everyone here is caring, even if we don’t all agree.”

Times correspondents Robin Greene and Jeff McDonald contributed to this story.