Six Measures Decided by Less Than Five Percentage Points

Six measures were decided by less than five percentage points, but nine of the 12 ballot measures in San Mateo County passed, according to unofficial results released Tuesday.

, which would have provided county community colleges with renovation funds, failed to get the necessary 55 percent of the vote to pass, finishing with an unofficial count of 52.75 percent in the 440 precincts.

If passed, it would provide $564 million in bonds to construct and upgrade classrooms at the three county campuses -- College of San Mateo, Canada College, and Skyline College -- by adding $12.90 annually to each $100,000 in assessed properties, according to official estimates.

Three of the four school district measures have initially passed with the exception of Measure O, which would have given the San Bruno Unified School District with $186 million in funds to help pay off district debts, fund classroom projects and finance a new continuation school.

Less than five percentage points decided the four school measures.

Measure L, a Pacifica School District parcel tax increase and extension, passed with 68.7 percent of the vote, more than the two-thirds majority it needed, and Measure N, the Millbrae School District bond measure, passed with 58 percent of the votes.

educational parcel tax was passed with just more than the two-thirds vote needed. The funds will go to the Burlingame Elementary School District.

Foster City and Redwood City each passed a transient occupancy tax, Measure P and Measure I, respectively. Foster City will raise the tax on hotel guests from 8 percent to 9.5 percent and Redwood City will add a 10 percent tax to hotel guests.

A general plan and municipal code amendment, Measure G, in San Mateo narrowly failed to pass, only earning 48 percent of the simple majority needed to pass.

Redwood City passed a new business license tax, Measure M, with 55 percent of the vote.

Menlo Park passed a fire protection district appropriation limit, Measure F, with 76.8 percent. Brisbane passed Measure J, imposing a new business license tax, with a 77 percent approval.

Redwood City approved a charter amendment, Measure L, with a convincing 61 percent vote.

Measures F, J, L and M each needed a simple majority to pass.

--Bay City News

Related Topics: elections 2011