Voters Turn Against Land-Preservation Tax

Duarte voters appeared to have soundly defeated a measure to tax themselves to preserve pristine foothill land that is slated for housing developments, early ballot returns showed Tuesday.

Measure A, which would have cost homeowners $48 a year, was losing by a 2-1 margin late Tuesday night with 80% of the ballots counted.

Supporters of the measure had hoped to use up to $5 million in tax money to help buy more than 700 acres of privately owned land. Opponents said the city should work with land developers to find a less costly way of conserving the land.