Council Awaits Panel Study of Park Costs

The Moorpark City Council has postponed looking for new ways to maintain city parks until its budget finance committee meets in early December.

The rejection of Measure P, an initiative that would have allowed the city to continue taxing residents for park maintenance, failed earlier this month. And because of Proposition 218, which passed last year, the assessment will end June 30 because two-thirds voter approval was required to keep it.

“The thing to do is to further look at the revenues before we take final action,” Councilman Bernardo Perez said.

Councilman John Wozniak and Mayor Patrick Hunter, who form the budget committee, will explore ways to make up for the revenue that will be lost when the park assessment district is dissolved.

Wozniak and Hunter, along with council members Perez and Debbie Teasley, say they have not ruled out the option of again asking voters to approve a park maintenance levy, perhaps on next June’s ballot. That would require the city to file with county election officials by mid-February.

Councilman Chris Evans opposes that plan, saying voters sent a clear message that they wanted to end the park tax.

Although the council has not specified any proposed cuts, Wozniak said the city should look closely at whether it can afford the $15,000 cost of an Independence Day fireworks program. The popular event drew 8,000 spectators last summer.