Fall Vote OKd for Proposed Ventura County Tax Hike

By a 4-1 vote, Ventura County supervisors agreed Tuesday to place a one-quarter of a cent sales-tax increase measure before voters in the November general election.

Money raised, about $25 million a year, would pay for acquisition and preservation of open lands in the county. The measure will also ask county voters to create an open space district that would administer the funds.

Only Supervisor Judy Mikels objected, saying the idea of a government district buying up private lands rubs against her conservative ideals.

“Nearly half of the county is already under government control,” Mikels said. “I am philosophically opposed to a socialist county/nation/state.”

If approved, the measure would hike the county sales tax from 7.25% to 7.50%. The increment would be in place for 10 years.