Tax Measures Doing Well as 44 Cities Vote

With the area’s economy buoyant, early results of elections across the county Tuesday showed voters giving tax increases the thumbs-up on measures to maintain city and school district services.

The mood of generosity even extended to Covina, where anti-tax sentiment reached such a peak that angry voters recalled an entire City Council after it imposed a utility tax in 1992. On Tuesday, however, unofficial final results suggested that voters swallowed hard and extended for a decade a controversial utility tax--Measure C.

“The people of this community see the need for this tax,” former Mayor Linda Sarver said. “Informed voters understand this tax is absolutely necessary to keep vital services.”

Measure C appeared to have won with about 55% of the vote, well over the simple majority it needed. But in an odd twist, Robert R. Naylor, a staunch tax opponent, received 60% of all council votes cast, according to unofficial final results.

Beyond Covina, voters in 43 other cities and four school districts went to the polls.

In South Pasadena, the threat of curtailed library hours prompted voters to overwhelmingly approve a special tax that officials say will provide $220,000 annually for the library. More than 87% of the voters voted yes on the special measure.

“This is an incredible result, said Cathy Brooke, co-chair of the library campaign. “We feel like the little engine that could. . . . People believe the library is the anchor of the community. It’s a symbol of pride.”

A 4% utility tax in La Verne drew more than 75% yes votes, far more than the simple majority it needed to pass.

Only Gardena’s voters looked likely to oppose a tax initiative--Measure H--which proposed raising utility taxes from 4% to 7%. With about 40% of ballots tallied, the measure was losing by a margin of nearly 2 to 1.

The only two school bond measures in the county also had early leads, with two-thirds approval required.

In the Whittier Union High School District, supporters of a $98-million bond measure won with more than 71% of the vote, reversing the defeat of a similar measure a decade ago.

Bond advocates have pledged to use the money to renovate five high schools that serve students from Whittier, Santa Fe Springs and parts of La Habra, Norwalk and La Mirada.

In Lancaster, a $29-million bond measure also appeared to be headed for victory. And a measure to renew and increase a parcel tax in the San Marino school district took a strong early lead. The tax would be increased from $100 to $195 per parcel, with an exemption for senior citizens.

In Artesia, where the city’s struggling finances dominated election issues, voters appeared to have told politicians that they want to keep their city independent from their richer, larger neighbor, Cerritos.

Two candidates--incumbent Tim Kelemen and running mate Mary Ochoa--pitched the idea of a ballot measure that would merge Artesia with Cerritos to ward off possible financial ruin. Early results showed both candidates faltering.

Artesia was not the only city that saw incumbents in trouble.

In El Monte, Mayor Patricia Wallach appeared to be headed for defeat. Early counts showed Wallach, who was bitterly opposed by the local police association, trailing City Clerk L. Rachel Montes.

The police union mailed campaign fliers asking voters why Wallach “is trashing our city” and calling her “two-faced.”

A South Pasadena incumbent opposed by a local police association also stumbled. Mayor Wallace N. Emory was soundly beaten by challenger David Rose after South Pasadena’s police union paid for local newspaper advertisements criticizing Emory.

Unofficial final results in Maywood showed that both council members who ran for reelection failed to win another term.

Elvira Moreno De Guzman, whom colleagues censured in January, garnered only a third as many votes as the leading candidate, City Clerk Sam Pena. Incumbent Tomas Martin also appeared to have been defeated, although some absentee ballots had yet to be counted.

In Monterey Park, wealthy developer Benjamin “Frank” Venti unseated incumbent Marie Purvis. The longtime councilwoman was fifth in a field of 11.

* VOTE RESULTS: Leisure World votes for incorporation. Election tables for balloting in L.A. County, B4