City measures fare better than schools in metro balloting.

Byline: Ed Russo, Jack Moran and Anne Williams The Register-Guard

Voters were meting out mixed fates to local money measures in the Eugene-Springfield area Tuesday.

Eugene voters seemed the most generous, with incomplete results showing victory for both a bond measure to buy land for the parks system, and a four-year operating levy for library operations.

In Springfield, a levy to fund operations of a yet-to-be-built city jail was barely surviving, while a fire operations levy was winning handily. Passage of the jail operations levy would clear the way for the city to build a jail. Voters previously approved a levy to raise money for jail construction, but not operation.

Local education-related tax measures didn't fare particularly well Tuesday. Springfield voters were approving a school bond, but voters in Bethel were defeating a school levy. Voters countywide were heavily defeating a Lane Community College operating levy.

Eugene library operating levy holds slim lead

In Eugene, the $27.5 million parks and open space bond measure received 57 percent of the vote in incomplete unofficial results. "People who live in Eugene want to continue their legacy of supporting parks, open space and athletic fields," said Liz Cawood, campaign chairwoman.

The renewal of the library's operating levy was getting 51.25 percent of the vote - a margin of victory that some saw as surprisingly thin.

"The people of Eugene believe in libraries and that the public should have access to library service seven days a week," said Merle Bottge, campaign chairwoman.

The parks measure will buy land for parks and open spaces, help pay for artificial turf athletic fields at area schools, and help build the West Eugene Wetlands Center.

The measure will cost the owner of a $200,000 home about $30 annually over 20 years.

The library levy will keep the Bethel and Sheldon branches open, allow the main library to operate Sundays and evenings, and pay for more than 1,000 programs and special events.

The levy will cost the owner of a $200,000 home $46 a year, about half as much as the levy it will replace.

Springfield jail measure close

Meanwhile, Springfield city officials remained on pins and needles late Tuesday because the tax measure to fund municipal jail operations was too close to call.

As of midnight, 50.73 percent of voters were saying yes to Measure 20-112, which would raise revenue needed to open a 100-bed jail in Springfield in 2010. The facility would house misdemeanor-level prisoners.

"Wow! It is tight," Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken said. "We knew it would be close, but it's a little tighter than I thought it would be. I'm hopeful we'll pull it out."

The measure also would renew funding for 20 positions in the police department and municipal court, allowing the city to maintain current staffing levels in those departments. Voters approved funding for those positions in 2002.

A separate ballot issue - Measure 20-113 - clearly found favor with Springfield voters. Passage of the tax levy ensures that the city will continue staffing all five of its fire stations, as it has since a few months after voters in 2002 initially approved paying to fund a full-time fire crew.

"It was something that voters found easy to understand," Fire Chief Dennis Murphy said.

The measure was passing with about 57 percent of Springfield voters casting "yes" votes.

Bethel, LCC levies go down

Boosters of a five-year, $7 million Bethel School District operating levy had to swallow a bitter pill. The measure - which garnered a comfortable majority in last May's election, only to lose because it didn't meet the state's 50 percent turnout requirement - was trailing by more than 9 percentage points, according to incomplete returns.

"It was a genuine surprise, because we had heard nothing but positive things, lots of support," said Bethel district spokesman Pat McGillivray, who volunteered with the campaign. "We had no active campaign against our levy. A lot of people knew what the levy was for ... I just think there were too many money measures on the ballot and your tax dollars only go so far."

Failing by an even bigger margin - 57 percent to 43 percent - was a five-year, $6.5 million Lane Community College operating levy that officials said would have lessened anticipated cuts to instructional programs.

"This levy was not going to solve our problems, but it would have helped," LCC President Mary Spilde said.

School supporters in Springfield, meanwhile, were celebrating a decisive victory for a $42.7 million capital bond measure to pay for new and improved facilities, including replacements for aging Thurston and Maple elementary schools.

"We're just thrilled, just thrilled with the numbers right now," school board member and campaign co-chairwoman Laurie Adams said after incomplete returns showed it winning with nearly 56 percent.

With money measures for fire and police also appearing to pass, Adams called it "a wonderful night for Springfield."

"I think the voters were very well informed, so that makes me happy," she said.