AGOURA HILLS : Foes of New Tax Seek to Oust City Officials

Opponents of an Agoura Hills tax on utilities approved this month are attempting to recall the entire City Council, starting with a signature-collecting drive expected to begin within a week.

“We can’t vote out the tax,” said Barbara Murphy, an organizer of the effort. “So our only choice is a recall.”

After several hearings on the matter, the City Council in June unanimously approved a 4% tax on electricity, gas and telephone service, to help close a budget gap of nearly $1 million.

Last week, opponents of the levy, who call themselves Citizens Against New Local Taxes, filed paperwork with the city to begin a recall process. The city must certify or order changes to the application by Monday.

After that, recall organizers must collect signatures from 20% of the city’s voters--about 2,400 people--within 120 days to put the recall on a ballot.

If they are successful, a special election would probably be held, with a majority of voters needed to oust the five members of the council.

Councilwoman Fran Pavley called the effort “divisive,” and defended the council’s approval of the utility tax.

“We’ve done just about everything we could to balance the budget and lower expenses, and it got to the point where any further reduction would lower our quality of life,” Pavley said. “We certainly didn’t want to impose any tax.”

Last weekend, more than a dozen volunteers who support the City Council went door to door handing out flyers urging residents not to sign recall petitions.