Plan to Put Utility Tax on Ballot Hits Snag

The Agoura Hills City Council was scheduled to talk tonight about possibly putting a new Utility Users Tax on November’s general election ballot, but that is now expected to be a very short discussion.

The city has found that it is precluded by a state election code restriction from introducing another general use utility tax so soon after the last one was repealed by voters.

“If the issue has been decided in an election year, within 12 months it cannot be put back on” according to the election code, said City Manager Dave Adams. He added that should the council decide to alter the tax in significant ways--such as earmarking the tax revenue for specific purposes--a vote on a new tax might possibly be allowed.

Councilman Denis Weber said he is interested in discussing changes to the tax, to earmark funds for police or libraries and limiting the duration of the collection, but he is uncertain whether other council members would support it.

For now, the council will have to wait until June 25, 1997 to consider another general-use Utility Users Tax.

Agoura Hills resident Barbara Murphy, who has been among a handful of vocal opponents of local taxes--especially the utility tax enacted by the council in 1994--said Tuesday that she was pleased to hear of the restriction.

“I’m thankful because we have laws to protect us from them,” she said of the City Council.

But, council members are still expected to discuss the possibility of increasing the city’s hotel bed tax rate from 8% to approximately 10%, bringing it in line with surrounding cities’ rates. This increase also would have to be put to the voters, at a cost of $20,000 to place it on the ballot.

Before September 1995, when the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 62 requiring voter approval of any new local taxes, the increase would have been something the council could enact of its own accord.

Tonight’s meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 30101 Agoura Court, Suite 102.