SAN FRANCISCO — Voters in California’s statewide primary Tuesday approved 23 local general obligation bond measures, authorizing $1.856 billion in debt, according to a preliminary report from CaliforniaCityFinance.com.
Voters in San Diego and San Jose also approved landmark pension reform initiatives. The closely watched public employee pension reform proposals in both cities, the state’s second- and third-most populous, passed with more than two-thirds of voter approval.
In San Jose, current employees would be affected by the reform, while in San Diego new employees would be steered to a 401(k)-style plan.
Voters approved 63% of 87 local government revenue measures, according to the report.
The report said school parcel tax and bond measures did better than similar non-school measures with two out of three measures passing.
Schools proposed most of the bond authorization voters decided. The largest of those that passed with the needed 55% support included $298 million of bonds for Clovis Unified School District in Fresno County and $220 million of debt for Cupertino Union School District in Santa Clara County.
There were 47 school bond and parcel tax measures on local ballots, of which 66% passed.
Of the 18 city, county, and special district tax and bond measures that only needed a majority vote, 14 passed.
Struggling Hercules, Calif., garnered enough votes to pass a sales tax increase — a half-cent rise for four years that gained more than 70% approval.
