San Buenaventura council debates 1% sales tax; votes to call council election but not to place tax on ballot

San Buenaventura city staff presented survey results and draft ballot language for a proposed 1% general sales tax that staff estimates would generate roughly $36 million annually for general city services, including streets, public safety and parks. Assistant City Clerk Derek Riser and Chief Financial Officer Greg Moley walked council through the election calendar, timelines for candidate filing, and ballot language; staff emphasized the measure would be a general tax subject to a simple majority of voters and would not legally restrict specific spending to particular programs.

CFO Greg Moley summarized polling and community outreach: two rounds of survey work and an essential services survey sent to voters suggested the community prioritizes streets and roads, public safety and parks. Moley told council that a 1% increase would generate “approximately 36 million annually” and that, if approved by voters, the tax could be operative no sooner than April 1, 2027 to allow administrative setup.

The discussion that followed exposed clear divisions among council members and in the public. Supporters argued the city faces a structural gap for deferred maintenance—particularly roads—that routine revenue is not covering. Proponents, including speakers who said they had worked with staff and consultants, urged that voters should have the choice to raise local funds for visible needs.

Opponents raised several objections: timing amid rising costs for residents and small businesses; the measure’s status as a general, not a special, tax (meaning council would retain discretion to allocate funds across the general fund); concerns about transparency and past uses of Measure O funds; and whether the survey timing and polling remain valid in the current economic and geopolitical environment. Business groups and individual speakers, including Stephanie Caldwell of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce and resident Jeff Kalish, urged caution or opposed putting a tax on the ballot this November.

On procedure the council separated the election‑related resolutions and adopted three resolutions to call the Nov. 3, 2026 general municipal election for council districts 1, 4, 5 and 6 and to adopt candidate statement rules (the motion carried). Council then took up the sales tax resolution; a motion to adopt the staff recommendation to place the 1% general sales tax on the ballot failed in the recorded vote referenced in the transcript. Several council members asked staff to return with a clearer spending plan, greater transparency, and possible alternatives (sunset clauses, narrower dedicaton, or scaled rates) for future consideration.

Next steps: council directed staff to continue work on budget priorities and economic development planning; staff will return with options and proposed implementation language if council chooses to revisit the measure at a later date.