LOCAL MEASURES: VOTE MIXED ON SCHOOL FUNDING; LIBRARY TAX FAILING.

Byline: James Nash Staff Writer

Measures to fund local school districts were struggling Tuesday, and a special library tax in the city of San Fernando was failing to win support from two-thirds of voters.

San Fernando's Measure T is a parcel tax of $25.56 a year for library materials and maintenance. Beginning July 1, the tax would apply to each parcel and was expected to raise $124,000 a year in the city of 23,000 residents.

While the measure was falling short among absentee voters, Councilman Steve Veres, who backed the library measure, said he was hopeful that election day voters would respond to last-minute campaigning for the measure.

``We expect a better situation on the day of voting,'' Veres said.

Voters in the Las Virgenes Unified School District were favoring a parcel tax of $98 a year for four years to retain teachers, save programs and avoid further cuts. Two-thirds approval was needed for Measure E, which would provide the school district with an additional $2 million a year.

In the neighboring Oak Park Unified School District, early returns showed voters were strongly favoring a $197-per-parcel annual tax which district officials said was needed to avoid teacher layoffs, larger class sizes and cuts to educational programs at all six schools.

Two-thirds approval was needed for Oak Park's Measure D4, which would generate about $950,000 annually for five years. Only homeowners would be affected, and voters age 65 and older could apply for exemptions.

A Simi Valley Unified School District bond measure was too close to call. Measure C4 proposed a $145 million bond to pay for repairs and improvements at the district's 29 schools and to finance new construction.

The Simi Valley measure would increase the annual tax rate $41.98 per $100,000 of assessed value for 32 years. Approval of 55 percent of voters was needed for it to pass, and the measure was narrowly over that threshold with 12 of 55 precincts reporting.

In the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District, Measure S is the district's third attempt to pass a bond issue in 18 months. Local voters shot down a $21.5 million bond measure in 2002 and a $13.1 million bond proposal last fall.

Measure S would raise $13 million toward a permanent high school, costing taxpayers $47 per $100,000 of assessed value annually for 25 years. It needed a 55 percent majority to pass, and absentee returns showed it falling short of 50 percent.

School budget shortfalls prompted local education officials to seek voters' approval of new funding sources.

``We've projected a shortfall of $1.3 million for 2004-2005,'' Oak Park district superintendent Gary Richards said before the election. ``If (the parcel tax) doesn't succeed, we'll have to issue layoff notices.''

The cuts would affect 20 teachers, or about 10 percent of the teaching staff, Oak Park officials said. The district was formed in 1977 and serves 3,800 students.