Board Backs District to Fund Library System

Encouraged by the results of a recent library poll, a majority of Ventura County supervisors voted Tuesday to move forward with setting up a benefit assessment district effectively taxing property owners to raise money for the troubled library system.

The decision is far from final: The proposal must win support from the seven cities served by the county library system. And supervisors must decide on the cost of the assessment, which could run as much as $30 to $35 for each property owner.

“There really are no other options out there,” Supervisor John K. Flynn said. “We haven’t been able to find any money any other place.”

Library supporters applauded the board’s action, even while acknowledging concerns that a library assessment could be subject to potential legal challenges in the future.

“We’re very gratified,” said George Berg of Save Our Libraries-Ventura County. “We really think the supervisors took a leadership position today. It’s certainly not the end of the war. But it is a very encouraging step forward.”

The supervisors had initially considered placing an advisory vote on a library assessment on the November ballot.

But they dropped that idea because of fears that the measure would have a tough time competing for voter attention in a presidential election that will also include at least 12 statewide ballot initiatives. A proposal to hold a special election in the spring for a parcel tax was also scrubbed because of the cost, estimated at $233,000.

Since the November library election was going to be advisory only, Flynn suggested that the board use the results of a recent telephone survey in place of an election to gauge the public’s support for an assessment district.

Of the 801 people who participated in the poll, 56% said they would support a parcel tax to restore library services. That figure jumped to 71% when respondents were told that the money would be used specifically to buy new books, increase library hours and support children’s programs.

“For us to stand by and watch while our libraries crumble is not the right thing to do,” Flynn said. “I think the poll has given us a good indication that voters in Ventura County support this.”

The board took the action even though a taxpayers group recently qualified a statewide initiative for the November ballot that could potentially void the supervisors’ action if approved by voters. The so-called Jarvis-Gann initiative seeks to restrict local governments from assessing property owners for certain services.

Supervisor Judy Mikels, who cast the only no vote, said she could not support establishing a benefit assessment district because of the threat posed by the initiative. She also echoed the concerns of taxpayer advocates over whether the board even has the authority to impose a library assessment, which does not necessarily require voter approval.

Mikels said she preferred to hold a special election in the spring for a parcel tax, which would require approval by a two-thirds majority of voters. She said that if the library poll results were accurate, then voters would probably support the tax.

“I believe the message we’re sending is that we don’t trust the voters,” Mikels said of the assessment district.

But Flynn and Supervisor Maggie Kildee said that if the board did not take any action, then the public would expect the county to keep supporting the libraries until other funding is found.

“If we hesitate today, then we’re sending the message to the public that there are answers out there, that we do have money in the general fund when we don’t,” Flynn said. “The general fund can’t bail out the library system.”

The proposal to establish a benefit assessment district must now be approved by the cities of Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Port Hueneme, Simi Valley and Ventura, which are served by the county library system.

Also, no specific amount for the assessment has been adopted. The chief administrator’s office, however, has estimated that an annual $33 assessment for each property owner would raise about $4.5 million for library services.

If the county receives protests from property owners collectively paying 25% of the total amount raised annually, the county would be forced to hold a special election. This would in turn require a two-thirds majority vote for approval, county attorneys said.

If the assessment district is approved by all of the jurisdictions and accepted by property owners, it could take up to three months before an assessment is imposed. Even then, it would be a year before the money is collected.

This is crucial because five small libraries are threatened with closure if they do not get additional funding from the county or other sources by the end of September, said Alan Langville, an official with the county Library Services Agency.