Tax Measures Placed on November Ballot

Agoura Hills voters will face a number of local tax requests when they go to the polls Nov. 4, including a new measure designed to add to the city’s general fund and a special parcel tax to build a new library.

Though it had trouble in the past getting voter approval of a utility users tax, the City Council unanimously agreed Wednesday to again put one on the ballot, this time targeting only the city’s business community with the assessment.

The tax, which requires only a majority to pass, would be levied on the use of electricity, gas and telephones, but would not be applied to cellular phones or water.

Jerry Wolf, vice president of the Agoura Hills Chamber of Commerce, had said Wednesday that the chamber would support the measure, if it includes a 3% cap, a sunset clause of about five years and revocation of the $35 annual business registration fee.

Ultimately, the council agreed to some of the requests, but not an expiration date, saying the need is ongoing.

“While we’re asking the community at large to contribute to building us a library, which in many ways is the essence of a community, it makes sense that the business community contribute to the other, ongoing needs of the city,” said Councilman Dan Kuperberg, of the tax requests.

In another measure, which will require a two-thirds majority to pass, property owners will be asked to pay a $45 annual fee for five years to raise enough money to build a county-operated library on land donated by the Kanan family.

While opposition has not yet arisen to either tax, there already are rumblings of discord in the community.

The chamber had not gone so far as to withdraw its support of the utility tax Thursday, after the council did not meet all of its requests, but Wolf said it would now be up to the individual members to support or oppose the tax at the polls.

And Barbara Murphy, a tax opponent, has asked to write the ballot argument against the library tax.