OAK PARK : Supervisors May Back ZIP Code Bill

Ventura County supervisors are considering backing federal legislation that would help communities such as Oak Park establish their own ZIP codes.

Supervisor Frank Schillo, who represents Oak Park, said he is seeking the board’s help in lobbying for the legislation because the east county community has had continuing problems with its request for a ZIP code change.

Although Oak Park residents’ tax bills carry a Ventura County address, the area actually shares a ZIP code with Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County. This results in a 1% higher sales tax for mail-order purchases and also causes confusion among 911 dispatchers, officials said.

Oak Park’s 911 calls are routed through Los Angeles County-based operators who are not familiar with Oak Park streets, officials said.

Schillo said he has already enlisted the support of state Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), Assemblywoman Paula Boland (R-Granada Hills) and Assemblyman Nao Takasugi (R-Oxnard) in lobbying for the ZIP code change. He said an endorsement by the board would help boost that campaign.

“This really needs to be done,” Schillo said. “This is something that has been going on and on for years.”

Post office officials have maintained that changing ZIP codes would require the reprogramming of hundreds of automated mail-sorting machines in more than 250 mail-sorting centers across the country. The cost is simply too high, they said.