Measure S Pushes City to Get Best Deal

* As co-chair of the Citizens Against the Sales Tax Giveaway, I would like to respond to the challenge put forth by the Dunning Street Neighbors Assn. (DSNA) in its March 10 letter regarding the expansion of the Buenaventura Mall.

DSNA claims that the deal to give $32 million of city sales tax to the Chicago-based developers of the mall is a “good deal.” This is the same deal that prevents the city from seeing any of the new sales tax generated by developers for the next 20 years. This is the same deal that gives the developers $20 million so they can build a privately owned and operated garage that only benefits the mall. This is the same deal that allocates only 25% of the so-called “public improvement” funds for road and traffic improvements.

It is outrageous that the City Council would give away $32 million of our taxes without asking the voters first. Last fall, we turned in 14,000 signatures to qualify Measure S for the March ballot. Under this measure, tax subsidies for the development of shopping centers--such as those contained in the Buenaventura Mall expansion--must be approved by the voters. Measure S does not prevent such subsidies from ever happening, it does prevent horrible deals, such as this one, from being enacted by ensuring that the voters have the final say in these matters.

We agree with DSNA that expanding the mall will be beneficial to Ventura--if done right--and commend the city and developers for working with the neighbors of the mall. We now call upon the city to work out a deal that benefits all of the residents of Ventura and does not give away $32 million of our taxes while our libraries, roads and city services scream out for attention.

By approving Measure S this March, we will ensure that the council has negotiated the best deal possible for Ventura and that our taxes go to work for the citizens of Ventura, not to large out-of-state corporations.

LARY REID

Ventura