Jun 6, 2008 9:00 pm US/Pacific
Alameda School Parcel Tax May Be Close To Passing
ALAMEDA (BCN) ―
A proposed temporary parcel tax for the city of Alameda's school district which appeared to have been defeated in Tuesday's election is trying to come back from the dead.
Measure H, which would levy an emergency tax of $120 per residential parcel and 15 cents per square foot for commercial and industrial parcels for the next four years, received 64.85 percent of the vote in a ballot count that was completed early Wednesday morning, falling short of the two-thirds percent majority needed for approval.
After an updated count of absentee ballots that was done by the Alameda County Registrar of Voters on Thursday, the percentage of "yes" votes increased to 66.37.
And after another count of absentee ballots Friday, the percentage of "yes" votes rose to 66.65 percent, just shy of the 66.7 percent threshold needed for victory. In raw numbers, there are 10,905 "yes" votes and 5,456 "no" votes.
Registrar of Voters spokesman Guy Ashley said the ballot measure's totals will be updated again next week after election officials examine provisional ballots that were cast in the election.
Ashley said about 6,500 provisional ballots were case countywide but election officials don't know how many of them are from the city of Alameda.
Supporters put Measure F on the ballot to try to offset proposed state budget cuts and minimize school closures and cuts in programs such as music and athletics.
The levy of $120 per residential parcel and 15 cents per square foot for commercial and industrial parcels would be on top of the $189 that homeowners already pay.
Both taxes would expire in 2012.
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