SPECIAL TAX BALLOTS IN MAILBOXES OAK PARK'S PARKS MAY GAIN.Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Staff Writer SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. - Simi Valley and Oak Park landowners should be on the lookout today for mail ballots asking for approval of a $24 annual assessment to raise $1.1 million for maintenance and construction of parks. The Rancho Simi Rancho San José de Nuestra Senora de Altagarcia y Simi is one of the land grants in California by the Spanish government. The name derives from Shimiji, the name of the Chumash village here before the Spanish. Recreation and Park District is going to residents for the first time in more than two decades for tax money to cover ongoing budget shortfalls. Parks officials said a survey they sent out this fall leaves them optimistic op·ti·mist n. 1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome. 2. A believer in philosophical optimism. op that property owners will be open to the assessment. ``Two-thirds of people really did understand the need to continue to maintain and expand our current facilities and make sure they don't deteriorate de·te·ri·o·rate v. 1. To grow worse in function or condition. 2. To weaken or disintegrate. ,'' said district spokesman Rick Johnson Rick Johnson may refer to:
A yes vote on the ballot would put into place the assessment district, with single-family homeowners paying $24 a year and commercial landowners paying a higher amount, to be determined by their acreage. The assessment is expected to raise $1.1 million a year for the district's $21 million annual budget - $1 million to go to Simi Valley and more than $100,000 to Oak Park. The proposal was introduced to recoup recoup To sell an asset at a price sufficient to recover the original outlay or to offset a previous loss. a nearly $1 million annual budget shortfall the district has struggled with since 1991, when the state began taking a larger share of local taxes, officials said. The funds would go toward maintaining and improving existing parks, building new facilities, preserving open space, improving soccer fields, increasing safety patrols and replacing old playground equipment. The park district would review the assessment each year to determine whether it is needed for the next fiscal year, and would adjust it accordingly. It could not raise the assessment more than 3 percent without another ballot. So far, the district has had some measure of support for the proposal from both Simi Valley and Oak Park residents. Simi Valley resident political activist Sandi Webb said while she has not studied the proposal in detail, she is initially supportive because nice parks can add to property values. ``From a very staunch anti-tax person, this is one I have no objections to, myself, and I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. of anyone who does,'' said the former city councilwoman. ``I suspect this is one that will go through.'' |
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