GARDENA : City Rejects Tax on Residents for Library

The City Council on Tuesday turned down a proposal to join a special county district that would tax residents to help support their branch of the Los Angeles County Library.

City Manager Kenneth W. Landau said the unanimous vote reflected the council’s concern about raising taxes without calling for a citywide vote on the matter. Under the special district, residents would be charged $28.50 for each property, said County Librarian Sandra Reuben.

City officials urged the council to vote no on the tax because Gardena has a high number of small property parcels, making the amount collected in the city disproportionate to the need.