Voters countywide this year shut the door on the imposition of new taxes.
Of the nine measures on Tuesday’s ballot calling for the creation of new taxes or perpetuating an existing one, not a single one passed.
Measure Z was a bond proposition that needed to be approved by 55 percent of the voters in the Mountain View School District in southeastern Ontario to authorize $33 million in bonds for school facilities improvements, by means of assessing on property owners 2 cents per $100 of the value of their property.
It fell short with 49.82 percent of the district’s voters endorsing the measure and 50.18 percent turning thumbs down.
Measure A was a bond proposition presented to residents within the Rim of the World School District in the San Bernardino Mountains that needed the assent of 55 percent or more of the district’s voters to authorize $55.5 million in bond sales, the proceeds from which were to go to repair deteriorating school facilities, including roofs, plumbing and electrical facilities and improve classrooms and labs for math, science, engineering, arts, skilled trades and college readiness. It would have levied on property owners 3 cents per $100 assessed value of their properties.
It failed to pass, with 47.48 percent of the district’s voters in favor of it and 52.52 opposed.
Measure B, was a bond proposition within the Beaumont School District, which barely overlaps into San Bernardino County from Riverside County, to improve safety and security systems and replace roofs, plumbing and electrical facilities and improve classrooms and labs for math, science, engineering, arts, skilled trades and college readiness. It called for levying on property owners $50 per $100,000 of assessed value of their property. It failed to pass, with 3,258 votes in favor of issuing bonds to pay for the improvements and 6,397 votes against doing so.
Measure C, which needed the approval of 55 percent of the voters within the boundaries of the Morongo Valley School District, sought the issuance of $55.6 million in bonds to improve schools in Morongo Valley.
It failed with 39.56 percent of the district’s voters in assent and 60.44 percent opposed.
Measure D was a $48 million bond proposition needing the agreement of 55 percent of the voters to benefit the Victor Elementary School District by relieving overcrowding in the district’s schools, and support science, technology, math and engineering education. It called for an assessment upon property owners of $19 per $100,000 of assessed value of their property.
It failed, with 48.73 percent of voters in favor and 51.27 percent rejecting the tax.
Measure E asked the residents of Yucaipa to increase the city’s existing sales tax rate by 0.5%, or one half of one cent, on every dollar of taxable sales of goods in the city, and on the taxable storage, use or consumption in the city of goods purchased. It needed but a simple majority, that is, fifty percent plus one vote, to pass. Yucaipa citizens would have none of that, though.
The measure went down to defeat, with 36.37 percent willing to tax themselves more and 63.63 percent in opposition.
Measure F proposed the City of Barstow creating a municipal tax on the sale of marijuana and marijuana products within city limits. It needed to be passed by two-thirds of the city’s voters, and would have subjected on those growing marijuana within the city an annual tax of $30 per square foot of cultivating area, and was to further exact on businesses engaged in selling marijuana a 15 percent tax on their gross receipts.
Measure F garnered majority voter support in Barstow, but the 55.34 percent approval did not meet the two-thirds passage requirement. The measure therefore failed.
Measure H was a special tax proposition applicable only within the confines of the San Bernardino Mountains Community Hospital District, encompassing Twin Peaks, Grass Valley, Rimforest, Agua Fria, Crest Park, Lake Arrowhead, Skyforest, Cedar Glen, Enchanted Forest, Fredalba, Smiley Park, Running Springs, Arrowbear Lake, Snow Valley, Green Valley Lake and Deer Lodge Park. Measure H called for making permanent an existing tax to subsidize operations at the Mountains Community Hospital in Lake Arrowhead, one that is in place now but which must be renewed every four years. The Measure H tax would as of 2021 have imposed for each calendar year an assessment of $40 per unimproved parcel, $80 for each parcel containing a single family residence or multiple dwelling units, and $200 per parcel for each parcel developed for commercial purposes. Measure H required approval by two-thirds of the district’s voters. The measure failed with 58.1 percent of the district’s voters supporting it.
Measure I was a special tax proposition presented to residents within the Big Bear Fire Authority Community Services District. It needed passage by a two-thirds vote to levy an annual six cents per square foot assessment on developed property floor area, with a minimum of $35 per assessor’s parcel and a maximum of $2,500 per assessor’s parcel upon developed properties, residential rental properties and hotels, together with a $78 per room hotel tax. It was also to have imposed on two of the area’s ski resorts $375,000 annual assessments. The proceeds were to be used to provide fire protection services.
Measure I went down in flames, supported by 42.14 percent of the district’s voters and rejected by 57.86 percent.
-M.G.