COUNCIL MEMBERS GIVE TO KEEP TAX : $1,235 DONATED TO AGOURA HILLS MEASURE.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

The city's five council members or their families are among contributors who have raised $1,235 in support of the June 25 ballot measure that seeks to keep a controversial utility tax on the books.

Interest is high among residents, with more than 10 percent of the city's 12,440 registered voters seeking absentee ballots. Campaigning, however, has been limited largely to fliers and word of mouth, campaign organizers said Monday.

Supporters of the utility tax are led by the group Save Agoura Hills For Everyone, which in financial statements filed late last week reported raising $1,235 from 33 contributors.

``It's a grassroots group that realized how important this is to the city,'' said Dolores Crowley, the group's treasurer. ``On whole, most people support it. There is a silent majority here in Agoura Hills.''

The group's disclosure report showed total spending of $801. Crowley said the money has been spent on several hundred fliers and some 200 yard signs.

Two groups have mailed several hundred fliers or informally campaigned against the utility tax. Neither group, however, filed a campaign disclosure form, meaning they legally cannot raise or spend more than $1,000, said City Clerk Pat Manning.

Dan Crisafulli leads the group Citizens Against Unnecessary Utility Taxes. He said opponents still hope to convince a majority to vote against the utility tax despite the lack of fund-raising and expensive campaigning. The other opposition group is Outlaw Unfair Taxes.

Crisafulli said what fund-raising and spending is done to oppose the measure has been concentrated on encouraging people to vote.

``We're looking at it more as a final plea for people to vote,'' Crisafulli said. ``We think if more people vote, we can defeat the tax. That's the effort, to get people to pay attention to what's going on.''

The City Council adopted the 4 percent utility users tax in June 1994. The council called for the referendum on the two-year-old tax in response to public opposition and recent state Supreme Court decisions that cities and other agencies throughout the state must see voter approval to implement such taxes.

City officials contend the tax is needed to generate about $1.1 million in revenue each year for the city's $6.5 million annual budget. City accountants began putting utility tax revenue in an escrow account after the initial court decision last fall. The latest court decision has been appealed.

Councilwoman Louise Rishoff said she and other council members are supporting the measure because they face cutting services if the tax revenue is lost.

``We're the ones that have to find a way to do without a million bucks if it doesn't pass,'' she said. ``We've been counting on it so this would represent an actual loss. This would be a direct loss right off the top.''

Members of the group Citizens Against New Local Taxes contend that the council acted inappropriately from the beginning by enacting a tax without voter approval.

Barbara Murphy, the group's leader, wrote the ballot argument against the tax and she is actively urging residents in stores and on the street to vote against the measure.

``I'm talking to lots of people. I'll talk to anybody willing to listen'' she said. ``A special election probably favors passage, so we need to get people out to vote.''