Covina : Street Tax Proposal Dies

Bowing to pressure from residents, the City Council on Monday buried a controversial tax proposal to fund street maintenance and repair.

The council voted 3 to 2 against levying the tax, which would have raised an estimated $2.2 million a year.

Mayor Chris Lancaster said he based his no vote on a survey sent to 26,354 registered voters and property owners. The city received 3,300 valid responses. Although 2,222 people indicated that they were not satisfied with the condition of streets, only 945 said they were willing to pay to improve them.

Council members Henry M. Morgan and Chris Richardson voted in favor of the tax. Richardson said it would be impossible for the financially strapped city to fix run-down streets without a tax assessment.