Citywide Assessment District Plan Is Postponed

Choosing to wait for the results of a statewide initiative that could give residents more control over such fees, the City Council on Tuesday decided to postpone forming a citywide assessment district for public lighting and landscaping.

Council members voted unanimously to wait to see whether the so-called Right to Vote on Taxes Act is approved by California voters in November before considering a new assessment district.

The measure, co-sponsored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., would require a majority of property owners to approve the formation of any citywide assessment districts as well as any property fee increases.

“If this initiative passes in November, we’re going to have to make a case--and a very strong case--for creating a citywide assessment district,” said Councilwoman Judy Lazar.

All the council members said they believe voters will approve the initiative.

Although it was considering establishing a citywide district, the council had previously decided not to impose any new fees this fiscal year on property owners who were not already paying assessments.

Nevertheless, several residents told the council during the hearing that in their opinion, the writing was clearly on the wall: Increases would be coming eventually.

“I hear speeches from council members that they are forming a citywide assessment district: ‘But residents, do not worry, we’re not going to tax you,’ ” said Christen Brun Henrichsen, a local attorney. “Humbug!”

City officials sent out about 36,500 notices informing property owners that the council was considering the expanded assessment district. They received 458 protest letters in response.

However, some residents told the council Tuesday that the notices were difficult to decipher, and they at first had failed to grasp the importance of the issue before them.

“This clearly implies that I will be assessed in later years,” said Leo Feingold, who said he almost threw his notice in the trash before taking a closer look. “Now I know what this notice is about.”

Councilwoman Elois Zeanah, who made the motion to postpone the decision, said that Thousand Oaks was rushing to form the citywide district. She said that although city officials mailed the notices, many residents still did not realize that fees could be levied on them at a future date if they were included in the assessment district.

“The way I see it, we have two options here,” Zeanah said. “One, we can say we have met all the technical requirements . . . or we can listen to the concerns we have heard expressed.” The proposal to create a citywide assessment district is part of a recommendation by a citizens task force that examined the city’s current assessment districts--and determined that some people were paying too much for lighting and landscaping, while others paid nothing.

The landscaping district now includes about 30% of the city’s households and businesses; 77% are in the lighting district. Both districts were formed in 1979.

But according to the citizens’ task force, some of those home and business owners are now paying more than $140 a year, and a more equitable system is needed. The task force proposed the formation of a citywide assessment district--and a new fee structure that would include all property owners.

Council members on Tuesday also voted 5 to 0 not to raise fees on those property owners currently in the assessment districts. With one exception, that is: The council voted 3 to 2 to raise landscaping assessments on the Thousand Oaks Auto Mall by less than 2%.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” said Mayor Andy Fox, who opposed the increase along with Councilman Mike Markey. “Essentially, what we are trying to do is beat a vote of the people.”