Council Backs Putting Proposal Against Mall Expansion on Ballot

In their final act as the outgoing City Council, Ventura leaders unanimously voted to place an initiative on the March ballot to allow voters to consider a measure aimed at scuttling plans for the Buenaventura Mall expansion.

Supporters of the measure want to halt a proposed tax-sharing plan between the city and mall owners in which developers would pay in advance for $12.5 million in public improvements to be reimbursed by the city in as long as 20 years.

Organizers of the initiative collected more than 14,000 signatures to qualify it for the March ballot.

But the City Council had to approve holding a special election in conjunction with the county’s March primary to place it before the voters. The election is expected to cost the city more than $30,000.

In a related move, the council, which approved two new members Monday, voted to send a letter to initiative proponents requesting information about who is providing financial assistance to the group and who wrote the initiative.