Revitalization Plan Qualifies for Ballot

Opponents of the city’s Midtown Redevelopment Plan have succeeded in their campaign to place the revitalization issue before voters.

County election officials this week verified that the group Ventura CARES has collected more than enough valid signatures to qualify the issue for a special election this summer. Opponents are hoping voters will overturn the City Council’s approval of the redevelopment plan.

The council, however, has the option of repealing the redevelopment plan ordinance, approved in November in a 5-1 vote. Councilman Jim Monahan cast the dissenting vote, while midtown property owner and Deputy Mayor Ray Di Guilio abstained.

The council will discuss the referendum issue at its Jan. 25 meeting.

Should the matter go before voters, City Clerk Barbara Kam said the special election would most likely be held June 8 and could cost as much as $100,000.

But critics of the redevelopment issue say this is a small price to pay in comparison with the city’s plan to give the midtown business corridor a $74-million face lift.

“One of the things Ventura CARES is against is giving away public money to big developers,” said group member and midtown property owner Diane Underhill.

As part of the redevelopment plan, the city would use a portion of property taxes collected in the midtown area through 2043 to pay for enhancing public and private properties as well as infrastructure and housing. Low-interest loans would also be offered to property owners to make improvements.

Boundaries of the project area are East Main Street and East Thompson Boulevard from Ash Street to Mills Road, and includes the Buenaventura Mall and portions of Loma Vista and Telegraph roads.

Ventura CARES, which stands for Citizens Against Redevelopment Excess, is a group of local and out-of-town residents and property owners who say redevelopment robs funds from public services such as education and law enforcement.

Underhill criticized the city’s fast-track approach to approving the plan, saying the proposal never had community support--the same reason Monahan gave for rejecting the plan.

While City Councilman Sandy Smith agrees the redevelopment plan could have been handled better to gain more public trust, he said he will vote for placing the issue on the ballot in a special election rather than repeal the ordinance.

“I am personally going to support it going to the voters,” Smith said. “All along I have looked at the redevelopment proposal for midtown as our most viable means of financing the improvements to the corridors between the Buenaventura Mall and the downtown.”

The alternative to redevelopment, Smith said, is creating a tax assessment district.

“Given the option to choose between increased taxes and redevelopment, I think the public would vote for redevelopment,” he said.