PARCEL, UTILITY TAXES HEADING FOR REJECTION.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

Voters in Agoura Hills were supporting a parcel tax to expand the county library branch, but not by the margin needed to pass, and were shooting down a controversial business utility tax, according to early returns Tuesday.

In the crowded race for three Agoura Hills council seats, incumbents Ed Corridori and Denis Weber were leading, with Jeff Reinhardt third. Behind them were Jerry Wolf and Michael Forney.

Westlake Village voters also needed to fill three seats on their City Council. Kris Carraway-Bowman, the only incumbent seeking re-election, led in early returns followed by Mark Rutherford, Iraj Broomand and Christopher Mann.

Measure E proposed a $1.5 million parcel tax to help pay for expansion of the undersized Las Virgenes Library. If approved by two-thirds of voters, each property owner would be assessed $45 annually over five years.

Although the library is operated by Los Angeles County, the city wants to expand the library from its current size of 7,500 square feet to nearly 15,000 square feet at a total cost of about $3 million. The county has agreed to pay for increased operating costs.

Measure D proposed a tax on business utilities to finance street projects and other civic improvements. If approved by a two-thirds vote, it would add 3 percent onto the phone, electric and gas bills of more than 1,500 businesses, raising $700,000 annually to help pay for road repairs and maintenance, law enforcement, and parks and recreation programs.

City leaders pushed the plan to make up for revenue the state has diverted the past several years. Measure D also would restore some of the revenue lost when voters repealed a 1994 utility tax on homes and businesses.

Local business owners countered that the proposed utility tax would drive away some companies and keep new firms from moving into Agoura Hills.

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PHOTO Lois Baessler hands her ballot to Carl Heintz at Agoura High School.

Bob Halvorsen/Daily News