RESIDENTS CALL FOR PUBLIC VOTE ON LIBRARY TAX : BOARD'S SUPPORT SPURS FLOOD OF CALLS.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

Public outcry over the Board of Supervisors' support for a $33-per-home assessment to bail out the library system could push the proposal to a vote of Ventura County residents, supervisors said Tuesday.

Backed by a poll showing strong public support for libraries, the supervisors voted 4-1 on July 9 in support of a benefit assessment district in areas served by county library branches. The vote, however, has produced a strong rebuke from callers to the supervisors' offices.

Supervisor Frank Schillo said his office received about 10 phone calls and only one supported the board's decision to make preparations for the benefit assessment district.

``They just want a vote,'' Schillo said, adding that he supports asking voters to approve either a benefit assessment district or a special tax for libraries.

``Let's put it to the test,'' he said. ``I think, for $3 a month, to get full-service libraries, that's tremendous.''

Supervisor Judy Mikels, who cast the lone vote last week against setting up a benefit assessment district, said she will urge the board to put the library funding issue to a public vote in March. She said more than 30 residents have called her office and nearly all supported her position.

``Most of them said they absolutely supported the value of libraries, but they did not support not being allowed to vote on it,'' Mikels said.

Mikels said she would support a general sales tax as a more equitable, ``stable source of funding for the libraries,'' compared with an assessment on property owners.

The supervisors were set to discuss the library funding issue at their Tuesday meeting because Supervisor John Flynn was out of town.

Cuts in state funding have left the library system foundering. The budget has dropped from $10.1 million five years ago to $4.5 million this year.

Dixie Adeniran, director of the Ventura County Library Services Agency, repeatedly has warned that the struggling system will have to close branches, reduce hours of operation and cut staff unless the county comes up with additional funds.

In June, the board provided funds to keep five small branches and the adult literacy program running through July, August and September.

Library supporters hailed the benefit assessment as a cure. Adeniran said the board's vote ``was a very courageous development.'' She remains hopeful that a stable funding source can be found.

``We will just have to wait and see. People are talking about it and that is very important,'' she said.

County officials said the assessment would raise $4.5 million per year in the unincorporated county and the cities of Simi Valley, Moorpark, Camarillo, Port Hueneme, Ventura and Fillmore.

The county first would have to send official notification to property owners subject to the assessment. If 25 percent protest, the county would be forced to put the measure on the ballot.

The proposed assessment, however, faces a potential legal challenge from the Jarvis Right to Vote on Taxes Act on the statewide ballot in November. If approved by voters, the initiative might prevent counties from establishing benefit assessment districts for libraries.

Schillo and Mikels support delaying a public vote on library funding until March. Both said results of a recent survey show that most voters are willing to support additional financing to keep local libraries open.

The telephone survey of 801 registered voters conducted June 22-26 found that 56 percent immediately answered that they would be willing to pay the additional assessment for libraries. After pollsters provided a few facts to support the measure, 71 percent of those contacted supported the tax, according to the survey by Godbe Research and Analysis.

``Hey, there's a comfort margin there,'' Schillo said. ``This gives you an indication that there might be some support there.''