North County Voters Reject Transit Tax : Voting patterns: Although the fate of the measure is still unknown, a Times analysis shows that only San Fernando and Hidden Hills endorsed the transportation proposal.

A majority of voters in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys, areas known for traffic jams and long commutes, turned thumbs down Tuesday on a proposed county tax to improve public transit.

The opposition of northern Los Angeles County voters could end up defeating the proposition, whose fate is still unknown. So far, 50.8% of the voters favor the sales tax, but more than 100,000 absentee ballots still must be processed later this month.

The result emerged from a Times analysis of area voting in Tuesday’s elections, including returns from the nine cities of Agoura Hills, Burbank, Glendale, Hidden Hills, Lancaster, Palmdale, San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Westlake Village. Voting also was reviewed in the four Los Angeles City Council districts solely within the Valley. Those districts are represented by Joy Picus, Hal Bernson, Joel Wachs and Ernani Bernardi.

The transit tax vote was one of the few where the northern county apparently departed from voters elsewhere. Mirroring a statewide trend, area voters rejected “Big Green” and more than a dozen other propositions that would have hurt their wallets.

Except for Democratic strongholds, they also sided with most state voters and chose Republican Pete Wilson as governor. Wilson’s support ranged from a low of 42% in San Fernando to more than 60% in Glendale, Hidden Hills, Lancaster, Palmdale, Santa Clarita and Westlake Village.

Despite universal worry about growing traffic congestion, most voters were unwilling to hike the local sales tax a half cent for the county’s “anti-gridlock” Proposition C. Only voters in San Fernando and Hidden Hills endorsed the proposal, which would have expanded rail service using existing lines in the San Fernando Valley and elsewhere, established synchronized signals to aid traffic flow and brought light rail to cities faster than originally planned.

Some of the staunchest opponents of the sales tax increase live in the farthest reaches of the county, where commuting can eat up more than two hours a day. Voting against it were 65% of the voters in Lancaster, 61% in Palmdale and 62% in Santa Clarita, where plans included adding an inter-urban train line.

In the four council districts within the Valley, 55% of the voters opposed the sales tax increase.

The area’s voters exhibited a soft spot for the great outdoors, with a majority of Valley voters endorsing the failed Proposition 130, nicknamed “Forests Forever,” and Proposition B, the county parks and recreation measure. But support for Proposition B was just over 50% in most communities, below the countywide tally of 57% and the two-thirds majority needed for approval.

Many local voters did approve Proposition 140, which limits the terms of state officeholders. Adopted statewide, it failed locally only in San Fernando, where 49% voted to approve, and in the Valley, where it was favored by 48.5%.

But voters throughout the area roundly trounced Proposition 131, sponsored by Common Cause, which would have limited state officeholders’ terms but also would have provided public campaign financing. Those voting against included 64% of the voters in Santa Clarita, 68% in Palmdale, 61% in Agoura Hills and 64% in Burbank.

Results: A26-30