Bay Area voters who turned out to participate in Tuesday's statewide special election have unofficially determined the fate of four local issues included on the ballot, approving two proposed measures and denying two others, according to preliminary results posted Wednesday morning by county elections offices.
In Santa Clara County, a measure that hopes to spur economic growth in Morgan Hill while maintaining the city's population cap of 48,000 residents through 2020 appears to have passed by a large margin, according to the county registrar of voters.
Measure A, which required majority vote for approval, was unofficially approved by 59 percent of voters.
The legislation will adopt an ordinance allowing 500 residential units in a 20-block area of downtown to be exempted from the city's Residential Development Control System.
The system uses a series of standards and criteria to determine whether developers may obtain allotments prior to building residential units in Morgan Hill, according to the city's Web site.
The measure will also authorize the City Council to adopt policies and procedures for implementing the exemptions.
Voters in Hayward appear to have favored Measure A, a 5.5 percent tax on gas, electricity, video and telecommunications services that would be in effect for 10 years, according to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.
The tax is aimed at preventing cuts to local fire and paramedic services, neighborhood police patrols, youth and anti-gang programs, disaster preparedness and job development services. Low-income and some others would be exempt from the tax.
Around 53 percent of Hayward voters appear to have favored Measure A, while about 47 percent weighed in against it.
A measure authorizing a parcel tax to aid the Mount Diablo Unified School District in Contra Costa County appears to have failed, despite the support of approximately 59 percent of voters in favor of it. Measure D did not achieve a required two-thirds approval in order to pass.
In San Mateo County, Measure D that would introduce a one-cent sales tax in Pacifica appears to have failed. Around 62 percent of voters were against the measure that needed a majority approval to pass, according to the Pacifica City Clerk's office.
Measure D would have contributed funds toward police and fire services, street and pothole repairs, youth recreation programs, improved traffic flow and safety, as well as coastal area pollution protection.
