City Rejects SOAR Fund-Raiser Request

Saying it would violate city code and set a poor example, the City Council has rejected a request by the countywide SOAR organization to hold a fund-raiser in the parking lot of City Hall.

In a unanimous vote, Simi Valley council members denied the organization’s request to hold a flea market in the lot on Saturday to raise money for their campaign to increase land-use restrictions around the county. SOAR officials had asked the council to waive a policy prohibiting partisan political activities on city grounds.

“It would set a bad precedent if we were to allow this to happen,” Councilman Paul Miller said.

SOAR officials said the council’s vote Monday did not surprise them.

“I didn’t know that the city had that kind of policy when we filed for a permit,” said John Cardone, the SOAR member who applied for the permit. “After we found that out we began looking at other places to hold it.”

Cardone said his group has since relocated the event to a veterinary clinic at 845 Los Angeles Ave. and has changed the date to Sunday. The flea market is expected to be the first in a series of fund-raisers in east county communities to raise $150,000 to bankroll the group’s campaign.