LOCAL ELECTIONS / PASADENA : Tax to Bail Out Libraries Approved by Large Margin

A local tax to bail out Pasadena’s struggling public libraries carried by an almost 4-1 margin Tuesday.

Even before the votes from the city’s 42 precincts were counted, opponents of the new tax conceded that it would pass, citing a massive campaign that in the last two months garnered support from sources as varied as the local police union and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser.

Referring to the 400 volunteers mustered in support of the measure, businessman Gus Martin, who owns a chain of convenience stores and led opposition to the tax, said, “After the blitz I saw . . . I’d be surprised if the measure didn’t carry 75%.” In fact, nearly 80% of the voters were in favor.

Like library systems statewide, Pasadena libraries have lost funding during the last three years because of the state budget crunch. Since 1989, the book budget has been cut by two-thirds, and a new round of cuts threatened to close eight branches and reduce service at the Central Library to five days a week, city officials say.

As conceived by the City Council, Proposition 1 will provide $1.3 million, enough to restore the library to 1989 service levels.

But opponents had balked at the cost to taxpayers and argued that the council should cut elsewhere. The levy will draw an extra $20 a year from each house, $13 from each apartment and $147 for each non-residential parcel.

“This is not a library issue but a city budget issue,” said opponent Glen Kissel, an engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “ . . . What other department will be held hostage to a tax next year?”

Proponents had argued that it was much too late to adjust the budget to try to find more library funds.

EDITION-TIME ELECTION RETURNS

PASADENA

Proposition 1

42 of 42 Precincts Reporting

Shall the ordinance imposing a “library special tax” be adopted?

MEASURE VOTE % Yes 13,931 79.7 No 3,549 20.3

NOTE: Two-thirds majority required for passage