Oceanside’s Prop. H Is Resoundingly Defeated : North County: Carlsbad, Fallbrook, Poway and Escondido also appraise final vote results

Oceanside voters trampled Proposition H, which would have changed the city’s form of government, 69% to 31%, according to unofficial vote totals released Wednesday.

The balloting in Tuesday’s elections delivered a more stunning defeat to the charter proposal than in 1986, when a 61% opposition vote in Oceanside rejected a similar plan.

The county registrar of voters reported that 13,133 voters were against Proposition H, while 5,644 supported the measure to expand the five-member City Council to seven members and establish council districts.

Mayor Larry Bagley assessed the loss on Wednesday: “There’s nothing that could really grab you about the charter,” and he begrudgingly praised Proposition H foes for running a stronger campaign.

Supporters had told voters that a charter system would allow greater home rule and guarantee that all areas of Oceanside could elect their own district representative to the council.

But charter adversaries galvanized more negative interest by claiming that the charter would give the council authority to raise taxes without a public vote while helping keep the current council members in power.

In other North County propositions, voters approved bonds for Carlsbad schools and a proposal to directly elect the mayor in Poway. But they rejected propositions to fund new school facilities in Fallbrook and to allow churches to be built on Poway’s hillsides.

Proposition L, raising $7.5 million to build and equip a science building and a library-administration center at crowded Carlsbad High School, passed by 67% to 32%, or 6,182 voters for and 2,994 against.

A companion measure, Proposition M, which would spend $2.5 million for a new library and multipurpose facility at Valley Junior High School, won by 66% to 34%, or 6,002 for and 3,097 against.

The two Carlsbad propositions, which needed simple majority votes to pass, would extend the life of previously approved bonds. They would add $22 a year per $100,000 of assessed valuation on moves over the next 10 years.

While Carlsbad was rejoicing, Fallbrook was disappointed by the narrow loss of Proposition N, which sought $35 million to build a high school and renovate the existing crowded facility.

Proposition N needed a two-thirds majority for passage, but fell just short with 65% for and 35% against, or 5,119 to 2,781.

Meanwhile, in city government matters, Poway voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition K calling for the direct election of the city mayor starting with the November election. The proposition won 69% to 31%, or 5,636 for and 2,544 against.

However, Poway voters were similarly decisive in rejecting Proposition J, which sought to lift a ban on building churches on hillsides with a slope of more than 10%. That measure went down by 60% to 40%, or 3,337 votes for and 4,935 against.

Poway Mayor Don Higginson said he was “slightly surprised” that Proposition J was defeated, but he explained that many voters figured that, “if we approved the change, we would put a church on top of every hill in town.”

Although not a ballot proposition, Escondido voters chose City Councilman Jerry Harmon as the city’s first directly elected mayor. Harmon, a slow-growth advocate, won a lopsided victory over former Councilman Doug Best, a growth advocate.

Harmon got 62% of the vote, contrasted with 38% for Best, or 10,406 to 6,432.

“The community is sending a clear signal that they really do want growth slowed and want growth to pay for itself,” Harmon said.

Meanwhile, retired educator Sid Hollins won election to Escondido’s council, where he will join the slow-growth majority. He received 44% of the votes.