Public safety, roads: Measure F sales tax
campaign tops $31K in donations

Private donations have been added to the more than $25,000 of unspecified goods and services financed by Limoneira Co. to pass a sales tax to fund public safety and roads. 

In all, the campaign for Measure F - the proposed 1 percent sales tax on the November 4 ballot - had raised $31,052 through October 18, according to the financial statement filed October 23 by campaign treasurer Jim Tovias, Santa Paula’s vice mayor. 

Since the last reporting period the Committee for Safer Santa Paula Yes on Measure F campaign has received $5,850 in donations; when added to the $25,202 worth of unspecified goods and services provided by Limoneira Co. and a contribution by a private citizen reported on the first filing, total donations are now $31,052.

Total expenditures through October 18 topped $36,674 and Tovias noted the campaign had $8,624.88 in debt.

Consultant Rincon Consultants, printing and newspaper advertisements were the expenses noted for the reporting period.

There were four donations shown on the latest report: $5,000 from McGaelic Group, which represents owners of property in the area of Limoneira Co.’s East Area 1 and 2, $250 each from Valero of Santa Paula and United Shah Corporation - both enterprises are owned by Zahid Shad of Santa Paula - and $200 from Kathleen Hobson. 

Voters went to the polls Tuesday to decide the measure that requires at least 2/3 of Santa Paula voters to approve to be implemented: projections are an added 1 percent sales tax - 1¢ on the dollar - would generate $1.6 million annually that would be split between police (50 percent) and fire and roads (25 percent each). Any upswing in sales would add even more to the fund which as a specific tax would have to be spent as designated; the council would be able to order fund shifts as annual needs are met, but only to the designated entities and following a public hearing.

The measure was created after police resources dwindled by about 40 percent and a series of homicides struck the city. Starting in May 2013 there were 9 homicides in an 18-month period, including the murders of four women, one struck by a stray bullet after a mid-afternoon gang confrontation turned violent in the street outside her High Street home.