Posted on Tue, Apr. 25, 2006

EAST BAY ROUNDUP

El Cerrito
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/email/news/14422498.htm

VOTERS REJECT LANDSCAPING FEE HIKE: El Cerrito property owners have rejected a request for an increase to the city's lighting and landscaping fees.

Fifty-five percent of the votes were against increasing the city's lighting and landscaping assessment, according to a ballot count that ended at around 2:30 p.m. Monday, Karen Pinkos, the assistant to the city manager, said.

Votes were weighted according to how much each property owner was asked to pay. The city counted 273,000 "no" votes and 220,000 "yes" votes.

The city counted 3,769 ballots out of 8,798 sent to property owners -- a 43 percent return.

Though they made up only a small percentage of properties, it appeared that the bulk of the "no" votes came from owners of properties with businesses and multi-family residential units such as apartments, Pinkos said. The council is scheduled to certify the results on Monday.

-- Alan Lopez