Voters Reject San Diego County's Proposed Five-Year Tax

Staff -- Library Journal, 3/8/1999

San Diego County's Proposition L, a 25-cent tax increase to revitalize 79 community libraries, failed to garner the necessary two-thirds vote in a March 2 special election. The tax measure, which was expected to raise $423 million over five years, received more no votes, by a 50.2 to 49.8 percent margin. "We were surprised and disappointed," Cheryl Cline, deputy library director for the San Diego County Library, said. A poll, taken less than two weeks before the election, showed support considerably above the majority range, but below the two-thirds required. "The 'No on L' campaign came on strong in the last week and a half," Cline said. County Supervisor Pam Slater, a proponent of the proposition, in a March 3 article in the Union-Tribune, blamed the failure on "a big disinformation campaign by its opponents. They have been telling lies, that the money could be shifted by politicians." A similar measure appeared on the general election ballot in November 1996 and was defeated, garnering a 59 percent yes vote. With the latest defeat, Cline doubts that another attempt will be made to raise money in this way.