Voters turn down taxes for more services, facilities

A voter opinion survey conducted by Godbe Research last month revealed that local residents are not ready to pay more taxes to maintain services and public facilities in Moorpark.

Officials hired the research company to find out if residents would support a bond measure to help maintain city-provided services and to determine what public services are currently satisfactory.

While 91 percent of the people polled indicated they are satisfied with the overall quality of life in Moorpark, only 42 percent said they would endorse an annual increase of $32 per $100,000 in assessed property value.

Thus, a bond measure to pay for improved services and facilities would not pass at this time because it would not earn the needed two-thirds majority at the polls.

Surveyors interviewed 400 of about 15,700 registered voters who are anticipated at the polls for the presidential elections in November 2008. The survey was conducted last month by phone.

Residents representing all segments of Moorpark were interviewed to analyze if different pockets of voters living in a different part of the city vary in opinions.

The purpose of the study was to see what people think and to see if there is any support to increase fees, said Councilmember Roseann Mikos. Results show that residents are happy with what they have in Moorpark and they don't want more services or facilities if it's going to cost extra, she said.

According to the survey, residents are most content with park maintenance, open space preservation and police services and least satisfied with traffic safety, planning and street maintenance.

Homeowners were more likely to vote "definitively no," on a proposed bond measure while more renters said they would support it.

More voters without children in their households oppose extra taxes compared to those that have children.

Newcomers were more likely to support a bond measure than those who have been here for more than 15 years.

The survey noted that party lines play a part in how people vote. Republicans tend to oppose any tax increase while Democrats are more likely to support such proposals.

The Council is reviewing the survey results now and officials plan to discuss the matter in an upcoming meeting.

General funds revenues from property tax, sales tax and vehicle license fees are the only significant source of income received by the city that can be used without restrictions. These funds support a variety of programs and services including law enforcement services, park maintenance and city street and sidewalks maintenance.

In the 2007-2008 fiscal year, 63 percent of the general revenue went to pay for law enforcement services, leaving little money for other needs.

Moorpark has depended on developer fees to help cover some of these costs in recent years, but now that construction is slowing, the city's income stream is shifting to sales tax revenue, which is an amount lower than what many neighboring cities have to work with, said Hugh Riley, assistant city manager.

However, operational costs to maintain public services such as street lighting, street maintenance and parks have gone up. So the city has been dipping into the general funds more and more to pay for these services.

Parks alone are projected to cost $1.9 million this fiscal year with special assessments paid by property owners covering an estimated $640,000. So the remaining $1.3 million must come from the general fund.

The city is also trying to set priorities because some people have expressed interest in a new library, a public pool and an additional gymnasium at Arroyo Vista Park, but these can't be constructed without extra money, said Riley.