Esplanade Funds Initiative to Block Mall Expansion

Playing a much larger financial role than previously admitted, the owners of Oxnard’s Esplanade shopping center are financing at least 80% of the initiative campaign against the proposed Buenaventura Mall expansion in Ventura, according to documents filed this week.

Leaders of a committee opposed to the Ventura mall’s financing plan initially denied The Esplanade’s involvement. But they said Thursday that the Oxnard mall’s San Francisco-based owners have a vested interest in their fight and have pledged the bulk of financial support.

“I think it is obvious there is competition amongst the retailers from one end of the county to the other,” said Jere Robings, co-chairman of Citizens Against the Sales Tax Giveaway. “They put up the money to get this thing on the ballot.”

The group filed a new statement of organization Tuesday that lists The Esplanade as its sponsor. Because the company is providing at least 80% of contributions, the group is required by state election law to register as a sponsored committee.

Treasurer and co-chairman Lary Reid said he has received “three or four” checks from Esplanade owners, including one for $2,500. But Reid said he is uncertain of the total contribution.

“I really can’t tell you,” he said. “I don’t have all the figures counted.”

Reid said the exact amount will be revealed when the group files its financial disclosure statement Jan. 31.

City leaders and opponents of the group said they were not surprised to find out The Esplanade was bankrolling the campaign for Measure S on the March 26 ballot.

“Pretty much, this is who we thought it was and I am glad it is out so people can see who is behind this,” Mayor Jack Tingstrom said.

“I think it just verifies what we knew all along,” said John Walters, Chamber of Commerce president and a member of a rival committee fighting the measure.

“We were obviously interested in seeing who was at the root of this thing, and it doesn’t surprise us,” Walters said.

Last October, Reid denied that Esplanade owners were backing his committee, saying: “It’s a bold face lie. I don’t have any money from The Esplanade. It just isn’t true.”

But on Thursday, the Ventura businessman said he had received no money from the firm at the time he made that statement. He later sought out the San Francisco owners, he said.

“We went and asked them for the money,” Reid said. “We figured that was a good place to get money.”

With the help of paid signature gatherers, Reid’s committee collected more than 14,000 signatures last fall to place Measure S before the city’s voters in March.

If approved, the initiative would prohibit city leaders from engaging in tax-sharing deals with developers--deals like the much-debated rebate the city has negotiated with Buenaventura Mall owners.

As part of a $50-million expansion plan, city officials have brokered a deal in which the developer would pay $12.6 million in public improvements to be paid back by the city’s share of increased sales tax revenue over 20 years. With interest, the payback is estimated to be $32.3 million.

City officials say the deal is a smart investment that places all the risk on the developer. If the mall does not produce tax revenue above its current level, the city would pay nothing. But initiative supporters say the deal is a giveaway of taxpayers’ money.

The City Council unanimously approved the project Monday and will cast a final vote Jan. 22.

City officials say The Esplanade is trying to prevent Sears and Robinsons-May from leaving the Oxnard Mall for the renovated Ventura shopping center.

Representatives of the department stores, whose leases expire this year, have told city leaders they intend to leave The Esplanade whether or not Ventura’s mall deal goes through.

“One way or the other, The Esplanade is losing both of them,” Tingstrom said Thursday. “They want to get away from the big box discount stores.”

City leaders have accused initiative backers of trying to stall the expansion plans for the Buenaventura Mall.

Supporters, in turn, say the city is trying to end-run the election process by approving their mall project before voters consider the initiative.

Robings and Reid said this week they are now considering a November referendum to repeal the council’s decision.

On Thursday, City Clerk Barbara Kam said she spoke with a representative of the firm hired by The Esplanade to gather signatures for Measure S. He wanted to know how many signatures are needed to qualify a referendum, she said.