County Department Seeks Tax to Keep Parks Open : Revenue: The annual fee in unincorporated areas would raise $9 million. Most supervisors have indicated opposition.

Short of funds to operate nearly a third of Los Angeles County’s parks, officials have decided to propose that all homeowners who live in unincorporated areas of the county pay a new annual tax of $24 apiece to prevent the parks from closing.

If the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approves it, the tax would raise about $9 million annually, more than enough to keep open 37 of the 121 county parks now slated to close.

Officials with the county Department of Recreation and Parks have said they would have to close the parks and eight public swimming pools unless supervisors restore a proposed budget cut of $8.1 million, or 23% of their department’s budget.

The supervisors are scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to reject the tax proposal or hold public hearings on it in July. Most of the supervisors have indicated that they oppose the tax, but it is unclear how the board would make up the budget shortfall without it.

Facilities on the chopping block in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys include El Cariso and Veterans Memorial parks in Sylmar, Apollo Park in Lancaster, Del Valle Park in Castaic, Dexter Park in San Fernando, Hasley Canyon Park in Saugus, Pearblossom Park in Pearblossom and Northbridge Park in Valencia.

About 375,000 property owners in the unincorporated areas of the county would pay the tax, according to two studies previously commissioned by the parks department. All homeowners would pay the same $24 fee, regardless of the size of their dwellings. Vacant property would be exempt.

Under state law, the county cannot tax homeowners in one area to pay the full cost of facilities used by a larger group of people. The two studies estimate that residents in surrounding incorporated cities use the threatened pools and parks about two-thirds of the time. Thus, the proposed tax on unincorporated county residents would only pay their share, about a third of the operating costs of the threatened parks and pools. The rest would have to be paid by the county.

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If the tax is adopted, it would be the second fee increase in two years for parks. In November, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition A, which created a $540-million countywide assessment district--including both county and city residents--aimed at improving parks and beaches, acquiring open space, constructing recreation facilities and preventing graffiti.

Hundreds of homeowners, particularly in the Antelope Valley, were incorrectly charged tax increases under Proposition A that ranged from several hundred dollars to $54,000. Parks officials said they do not anticipate similar glitches if supervisors adopt the current proposal because it would be levied uniformly on all homeowners, instead of being based on the number of improved acres.