Oxnard’s downtown district faces test

June 21--For downtown Oxnard property owners, ballots are now in hand regarding a self-imposed property tax up for renewal.

It's a scenario that plays out in many cities, a process through which businesses decide whether to pay for enhanced security, cleaning and marketing services.

In Oxnard, where the city's historic core is miles from the freeway and must compete with The Collection, the dauntingly new retail center on Highway 101, stakes are high.

And a five-year extension of the Oxnard Downtown Management District's levy-based funding, which would raise some $454,094 annually, isn't a slam dunk.

Supporters say the extra services are needed now more than ever.

"For me, as a property owner, I see it as a great bargain," Tom Garcia, owner of Tomas Cafe and Gallery, recently told the City Council. Garcia said he pays just over $100 a month for amenities that would cost him much more if he were footing the bill alone.

"As a group, together, we're actually saving money," said Garcia, who sits on the management district's board.

Affected property owners who have addressed the council in recent weeks have almost all spoken in support of renewing the district. Most were members of the nonprofit's volunteer board.

Council member Carmen Ramirez, expressing her support at a recent meeting, said she's heard only positive comments from property owners.

But there is dissatisfaction in some quarters. Whether it will be enough to torpedo the renewal effort won't be known until votes are counted at a public hearing July 29.

The city, as the single largest property owner in the recently slimmed-down, 36-block district, could be the deciding factor when the council votes at the July hearing. The city's annual $107,699 payment amounts to nearly 24 percent of the total assessment. An additional $28,864 would come from the city's former redevelopment properties.

Some members, including Councilman Bryan MacDonald, have said they've heard grumbling from business owners and want to be sure any extension comes from majority private-sector support.

"I would hope the PBID would stand on its own, without the city being the deciding vote," MacDonald said at a recent meeting, referring to the commonly used nickname for the property-based business improvement district.

The council expressed interest in having its vote taken only after non-city votes were tallied as a way to gauge private-sector support, but was told that wasn't possible.

Ballots were recently mailed to owners of the approximately 500 parcels in the district, which stretches south of Second Street between roughly D and Meta streets. The southern boundary previously extended to Wooley Road, but was lopped off at Eighth Street earlier this month because of a lack of support south of Eighth.

Results will be tallied July 29, with votes weighted by property characteristics. Only returned ballots will be considered. If returns representing more than half the total assessment are in favor, levies will be added to property tax bills for another five years.

Armando Lopez, whose development partnership owns Centennial Plaza and another major downtown property, said his group is still discussing how it will vote.

The downtown district, first established in 2001, has been around so many years it might be time for change, he said. It's especially important business owners have the strongest voice in the renewal process, not city hall, Lopez said.

Vince Behrens, owner of American Cleaners, helped launch the district and was on the original board.

"I'm cautiously supporting it," said Behrens, who estimates he pays about $6,700 a year for his properties. During the last renewal process three years ago, Behrens was actively promoting an extension, but this time he's been staying on the sidelines, saying he'd hoped to see more spark from the management and board.

Tila Estrada, another original board member who owns an office building, said she does not support renewal. Estrada feels there's not enough being spent on cleaning efforts.

"I want to secede C Street," she said, adding other nearby property owners have told her they also want out.

Abel Magaña, the district's executive director, says the extra security, cleanup team and special events create "the detail work that makes a place shine." The enhancements help shopkeepers deal with transients, graffiti and other items that can slip below the city's radar.

Magaña disputed recent state­ments about his pay, which some have pegged in public meetings at $85,000. He said he earns a $70,000 annual salary and no other benefits beyond a $400-a-month stipend to buy insurance. A second staff member makes $15 an hour and works 20 to 30 hours a week, ­he ­said.

Like others seeking renewal, he said competition from The Collection and the shutdown of redevelopment agencies make the district's work crucial in the long-running effort to renew downtown.

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