THOUSAND OAKS : City Approves Tax to Fight Mosquitoes

Ever so grudgingly, the Thousand Oaks City Council voted on Tuesday to levy a tax of $1.12 per parcel to cover the cost of controlling mosquitoes and insect-borne diseases.

The county has traditionally paid for insect-control services, but in a belt-tightening effort, Ventura County supervisors have asked each city to form special assessment districts to fund the bulk of the $300,000 program.

Arguing against the tax, Councilmen Alex Fiore and Frank Schillo lashed out at the county for trying to dump its responsibilities onto city taxpayers.

“I certainly think the county owes us this service,” Fiore said. “Even if the fee is small, it circumvents the spirit of Proposition 13, so philosophically I cannot support it.”

Mayor Judy Lazar and Councilwomen Jaime Zukowski and Elois Zeanah said they reluctantly voted for the assessment district because mosquito control was vital to ensure public health. The council reserved the right to cancel the tax and withdraw from the county’s program at any time.

“I do have terrible reservations about doing this because it’s one more added burden on our citizens,” Lazar said. “But we would be remiss if we did not do our best to ensure the health and safety of our residents.”

The risk of encephalitis and other insect-borne diseases is especially high this spring because the winter’s heavy rains left stagnant pools of freshwater for mosquito breeding, said Robert Gallagher of the Ventura County Environmental Health Division.

Although the tax will normally be $1.12 per parcel, residents will pay an additional 40 cents this year to cover notification expenses.