COUNTY TAX INITIATIVE LACKS MAJOR CITY SUPPORT.

Byline: Andrea Cavanaugh Staff Writer

VENTURA - A proposed half-cent sales tax initiative in Ventura County that would fund transportation projects and an open space district is unlikely to be placed on the November ballot, a transportation commission official said Tuesday.

County officials need the support of a majority of the county's 12 cities with more than half the county's population to place the issue on the ballot, said Ginger Gherardi, executive director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission.

Several large cities, including Simi Valley and Oxnard, have said they could not support the open space proposal.

``I think it would be highly unlikely that we could get it on the ballot,'' Gherardi said. ``A number of the larger cities are opposed to the open space initiative.''

County Executive Officer John Johnston said that combining the two issues may be the only way to get voter approval.

``Independently, neither transportation or open space may be successful,'' Johnston said. ``Together, they may pass.''

County supervisors suggested adding the open space issue to the transportation proposal after learning no one would sponsor state legislation allowing them to place a one-eighth-cent open space tax on the ballot.

A half-cent transportation tax has already been approved by the state Legislature, but the law may require a special election at a cost of up to $800,000, County Counsel Frank Sieh said.

County officials will poll voters next month to find out whether they support the proposed half-cent sales tax.

Andrea Cavanaugh, [phone]

andrea.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com