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November 10, 1999

Ruminations on the election results

As predicted in this space some time ago, Measure B passed with considerable, shall we say, alacrity. B was, if you've forgotten or never knew, the measure that we in Pacifica were NOT allowed to vote on, but which seriously affects our Laguna Salada School District, our Jefferson High School District, and our tax structure. It was an approval of the concept of transfer of a big chunk of our school districts to San Bruno Park and San Mateo Union High districts.

The only folk allowed to express an opinion on Measure B live in the portion of San Bruno on the west side of Skyline Blvd. I had suggested they might pass it up there at 90 percent. They actually passed it at 92.8 percent. Only 61 people up there in the fogbelt voted against it. If there had been an election on the subject in all of the Jefferson High School and San Mateo Union High School Districts, however, it might have failed miserably, especially if anyone paid attention to my opinions.

In the election that we were allowed to participate in, concerning the Community College District, the voters turned out in Pacifica in substantially greater numbers than I had predicted. I had thought it would be about five to 10 percent. Instead 11 percent turned up in the precincts, and a substantial though uncertain number voted absentee. I have to assume that the real Pacifica vote was in the neighborhood of 15 percent, for which I congratulate those of you who voted.

Only one precinct turned out over 100 voters, # 3508, one of the Pacific Manor precincts, where 108 people came in. It was second in percentage turnout, 14.65 percent. In a strange turn of events, in its close neighbor, precinct 3507, serving western Pacific Manor, along Esplanade and Manor Plaza, the turnout was the lowest in town, 20 voters, or less than four percent. Of Pacifica's 31 precincts, 24 came in with a ten percent or better turnout.

Precinct 3505, in the area of Edgewood Drive in Fairmont, turned out fewer than six percent. In Fairmont West, by contrast, 75 people, or 14 percent voted. They are in the Jefferson Elementary school district, so they had more to vote on than did the rest of Pacifica.

Though Pacifica, like the rest of the county, gave Measure A, the Community College bonds, a substantial majority, we voted only about 61.5 percent in favor, considerably below the county average of more than 65 percent. Neither met the two-thirds required to pass. Thus Measure A lost, even though its supporters on the College Board won re-election. Only ten Pacifica precincts gave Measure A the two-thirds vote it needed. They included portions of Fairmont, Pacific Manor, northeast Sharp Park, and West Sharp Park.

Fairway Park, and the portion of Eastern Sharp Park south of Eureka Square, by contrast, gave Measure A a total of 69 ayes and 73 nays. One Park Pacifica precinct, 3519, favored "A" 65 to 30. Another, 3518, voted it down with 40 ayes and 41 noes. It would be interesting to know why close neighbors voted so differently.

Paul Azevedo stepped in at the least minute as the Precinct Inspector in two Portola Valley precincts when the usual Inspector suffered an accidental injury. He reports the traffic is very light at 5:15 a.m. on San Mateo county roads.

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