Tonight's announcement at the Oxnard City Council meeting was the culmination of a long series of events going back to late last year, when the city first announced its intentions to raise utility rates.
Even with the city's shameful and baseless lawsuit against us costing us five precious weeks of time, we pressed ahead and did what so many said could not be done.
But we knew better.
With the help of 61 volunteers, we collected 3,947 signatures in just 16 days -- far greater than the 1,430 valid signatures needed to qualify us for the ballot in November.
We shall promptly submit those signatures to the City Clerk to begin the validation process. With this initiative qualified for the ballot, the voters should have the opportunity to vote to repeal Oxnard's excessive 87% wastewater (sewer) rate increase.
Thanks to all of the volunteers who helped make this possible.
And thank you to those who were at City Hall tonight on such short notice to participate in our victory lap.
There is still more work to do.
Our next step is to vigorously defend against the City's underhanded lawsuit, which seeks to deny all of us the right to vote on this measure or to have it declared illegal after we the voters adopt it.
We shall win this battle.
No one should doubt our resolve!
Aaron Starr, President
Moving Oxnard Forward
http://www.movingoxnardforward.org/