Committee backs special tax rates for multiple CFDs for 2025–26; member seeks clearer historical and parcel-level reporting

The Oxnard City Finance and Governance Committee on May 27 recommended that City Council adopt special tax rates for multiple Community Facilities Districts (CFDs) — CFD Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and CFD 2003 — for fiscal year 2025–26 and authorized the public works director to execute a billing agreement with the Ventura County Auditor-Controller. The motion carried 2–1; Committee Member Starr voted no.

Committee discussion focused on documentation and transparency. Committee Member Starr asked staff to add explicit references in the resolutions to several voter-approved changes adopted during prior elections (transcript references included resolution numbers 15,138; 15,104; 15,139; and 15,805) so future readers would not lose track of amendments made by ballot measures. Staff and the special districts manager agreed to review and, where appropriate, include references to those older resolutions in the council materials.

A representative of River Park (identified as Mrs. Winnet Doyle) spoke in support of the CFD 5 budget, saying the neighborhood had worked with staff since November 2024 and supported the recommended allocations. Public Works Director Michael Wolf and Special Districts Manager Anthony Miller described the mechanics: several CFDs are bonded and levy amounts include amortization and contract amounts tied to those bonds. Staff said the final billing detail report (tax roll) is included in the packet and that parcel-level tables can be tabulated if the committee wants comparative year-over-year figures.

Starr requested more visible parcel-level comparators and a clear statement in the staff report about how the annual assessments changed from the prior year. Staff said totals from the prior year are in the packet and that more detailed tabulations can be prepared; staff noted the consultant that compiles tax-roll details performs the work and that staff can provide guidance to members of the public on where to find the historical material.

The committee voted to recommend adoption of the resolutions setting FY 2025–26 tax rates for the listed CFDs and to authorize the public works director to execute the billing agreement with the county auditor-controller. Committee Member Starr said he would vote no on most CFDs because he believed electors in some districts had never had the chance to vote on the tax; he supported CFD 5 because voters there had approved the levy by more than two-thirds in a prior election.

The item will be forwarded to the full City Council for public hearings and final action. Staff said they would review inclusion of the prior resolution references and consider adding clearer parcel-level comparisons in the council packet.