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By Arlene Martinez, amartinez@vcstar.com

Agreeing it's the best way to improve the city and its schools, the Ventura City Council unanimously approved moving forward with a one-cent sales tax increase.

The money generated would be split between the city and the Ventura Unified School District, which must approve the joint measure before it gets on the November ballot.

The school board plans to have that discussion in special meeting Thursday morning at 7:30 at City Hall.

City Manager Mark Watkins said since he arrived in the city, he has been stressing the need for another source of reliable, consistent funding.

As the oldest city in the county, Ventura has significant infrastructure challenges, including deteriorating streets and sidewalks, he said. Surveys have shown residents want things that include coastline and river protections, rapid emergency response times, enough police and homeless services.

The district's buildings face the same challenges that come with being so old, and there are other needs like keeping up with technology, keeping class sizes down and other facilities' needs, Watkins said.

A joint tax makes sense, since the two agencies work so closely already, he said. "You don't have a great city without a great school district."

It's an economic driver too because often, businesses will go to a city based on its schools, he said.

If a majority of voters were to approve the tax in November, the city would get roughly 70 percent of the $21.8 million the tax would generate, with the district getting 30 percent, or $6.7 million.

If the district were to get its $59 annual parcel tax renewed, it would receive $2.6 million.

Part of the city's share would go toward opening up the school's parks to the public after-school and on the weekends. An oversight committee would ensure the spending was going to where the agencies plan for it to go.

Resident Carol Lindberg, the only public speaker, said she supported the joint measure because it would mean more park space. She appreciated the idea of an oversight committee.

Council member Mike Tracy said he had already begun hearing from residents weary of a tax. They say there are too many city employees and they earn too much, he said.

But the city has far fewer employees than several years ago, and the city has made "significant progress on the retirement issue," Tracy said.

Council member Carl Morehouse said Ventura has saved a substantial amount by not paying post-retirement health benefits for employees.

If the school board supports the joint measure, it will return to the council May 23 for a vote to place it on the November ballot.

The Ventura Transportation Commission, which is putting a half-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot for regional transportation projects, supports the parcel tax over the joint sales tax, fearing the competing measures could cancel each other out.