AGOURA HILLS : Recall Leaders Accuse Council of Bullying

Leaders of a movement to recall the City Council claim that all five council members showed up at a weekend petition drive in a deliberate attempt to intimidate the recall leaders.

“They were there to interfere with our collecting of signatures,” said Barbara Murphy. “These are the tactics that the council uses. They call this their truth squad, and what they do is intimidate and harass.”

Councilman Ed Corridori said Monday that he and the other council members attended to make sure that would-be petition signers “heard both sides of the story.”

“We wanted to present our side of the controversy,” he said. “We felt people needed to know the facts.”

None of the other council members could be reached for comment Monday.

The petition drive was conducted from tables at two shopping centers across the street from one another on Thousand Oaks Boulevard near Kanan Road.

Murphy said Corridori and William Webber, a resident who has volunteered his time to fight the recall, “were actively handing out flyers and approaching people in the parking lot” of Vons.

“They physically placed bodies in front of us and people who were trying to sign our petitions,” she said.

Webber said Monday he was sorry if Murphy or anyone felt intimidated because that was never his intention.

“I walked up and talked to their people and said, ‘Hey let’s keep it friendly,’ and ‘How far away should I stand away from the (petition) table?’ I think at one time I stood a little closer to the table than I should have, and I apologized.”

If the recall group, called Citizens Against New Local Taxes, can collect 2,454 signatures--or 20% of the city’s 12,026 registered voters--by Dec. 7, the council would then be required to hold a recall election, according to City Clerk Pat Manning.

Citizens filed a notice of intent to recall with the city clerk on July 14, after the council voted unanimously to pass a 4% tax on electricity, gas and telephone service to help close a budget gap of nearly $1 million.

Murphy said the Saturday petition drive resulted in about 300 to 400 signatures. She said she is not sure how many petitions the group has overall.