VENTURA / OJAI : Library Tax Backers Plan Ballot Drive

With less than two weeks until residents vote on tax initiatives that would provide funding for local libraries, proponents are planning a final voter outreach blitz that includes direct mail, walking precincts, fund-raisers and newspaper ads.

On Nov. 7, voters in Ojai, Ventura and unincorporated county areas between the two cities will consider three measures that would raise taxes for homeowners an average of $35. The revenues would restore library hours to 1992 levels at larger branches and keep small branches from closing permanently in March.

Supporters of Measure L--Ventura’s library initiative, which would generate an additional $1.2 million for the city’s three branches--have raised nearly $20,000 for their campaign. The group netted more than $4,000 at a wine tasting and auction Friday. And a spelling bee fund-raiser held Wednesday night was expected to pour another $3,000 into the group’s war chest.

With the money, Ventura’s library backers said they will place campaign ads in local newspapers and target frequent voters with mailers. The group has also planned a door-to-door get-out-the-vote effort the weekend before the election.

“We are going to try to hit all the registered voters who have voted in the last couple of city elections,” said Barbara Swanson, the campaign’s co-chair. “Those are the people we are concentrating on.”

Lisa Meeker, chairwoman of the Save the Ojai Valley Libraries committee, said about 40 campaign volunteers have been calling Ojai Valley residents about two library initiatives on the November ballot.

Measure O would generate about $100,000 annually for Ojai’s library, and Measure N would provide an additional $224,000 for several libraries in unincorporated county areas.

Meeker said her committee recently added $2,000 to the $6,000 already in its campaign coffers with the sale of T-shirts signed by Ojai artist Beatrice Wood. She declined to speculate on the measures’ chances for success.

“Awareness could be higher,” Meeker said. “But we have gotten a very strong positive response.”