City, Schools May Pitch New Taxes to Voters

Two ballot measures--one seeking a new high school and another promising increased police and fire protection--could tug at voters’ wallets come November.

Tonight, Oxnard school board members are expected to approve a $57-million school bond measure to build a new campus to alleviate serious overcrowding.

In addition, the City Council will vote Friday on adding a $5.27-million utility tax for public safety funding on the November ballot.

“Unfortunately, they are both competing, and they should not compete,” said City Councilman Andres Herrera, who is supporting the tax for public safety. “If we had the money we obviously would not be going out to the voters asking for this tax.”

If both measures end up on the same ballot, the voters could well feel the economic pinch and reject both, experts say.

“Usually when you have a lot of measures on the ballot that have to do with increases in taxes, it hurts all of them . . . ,” said Sergio Bendixen, a Los Angeles political analyst. “By putting both on the ballot at the same time, they [would] hurt each other’s chances of success.”

Advocates for both issues say they cannot postpone them and hope voters will carefully examine each as more than pocketbook measures.

“They are both pressing issues,” said Denise Paul, co-chairwoman of Safety 2000 who has lobbied the City Council on behalf of the utility tax measure. “I am just sorry that they have to come up at the same time.”

Richard Canady, the district’s superintendent of business services, said Oxnard is in desperate need of a new high school and if the overcrowding issue is not addressed within a year, the district may have to begin double sessions.

“We need to put [our measure] on the November ballot. We are seriously impacted right now,” said Canady. “We have to give the voters a chance to look at the problem and decide how to handle the problem.”

Indeed, Mike Saliba(CQ), president of the Ventura County Taxpayers Assn., said Oxnard residents should give thoughtful consideration to both issues.

“I give voters a lot more credit,” Saliba said. “I think voters will look at those issues as separate issues.”

Each addresses a community need: overcrowded schools and gang violence.

Oxnard Union High School District schools are over capacity by 1,600 students, according to district officials. The new Oxnard High School campus that opened last September replaced an aging building, rather than adding room for new students.

District officials are expecting more than 300 new students in the fall, adding to the district’s six cramped high school campuses. In addition to paying for a new campus, the bond measure would cover renovation expenses for the schools, most of which are more than 30 years old.

District officials are hoping voters will understand the urgent need for a new campus.

“The way we keep accommodating these people is by adding trailers,” said school board member Bob Valles. “If we were to open up a new high school tomorrow we could fill it with 1,700 students. That would bring the other high schools to their normal capacity.”

In the meantime, the utility tax measure would fund more police and new anti-gang efforts. Although Oxnard has more crime than any city in Ventura County, the crime rate has dropped below that of the state and the nation.

The measure, which would add $5 to $10 a month to Oxnard residents’ utility bills, was created in part because of the number of homicides in Oxnard this year--police say six of the 10 were gang related. Police estimate that the city has about 3,800 gang members, more than twice as many as three years ago.

Advocates are confident the measure will be supported by Oxnard residents.

“We will be able to make a very good case to the voters on the police and fire issue,” said Kevin Bernzott, Safety 2000 co-chairman and president of the Chamber of Commerce.