Slow and steady seems to win the race, as local Measures L and K found victory Tuesday night to maintain their current tax rates.

Measure K needed approval to keep the 10 percent bed tax rate that applies to hotels within the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County from reverting to 8 percent. And passage of Measure L extends until 2053 a parcel tax for residents within the Hope Elementary School District’s boundaries, providing a ray of hope for the district as so many others struggle to cope with deep budget cuts.

Measure K passed handily, with 41,175 yes votes, or 71.23 percent, to 16,629 no votes, or 28.77 percent. Measure L also secured a large margin, receiving 2,454 yes votes, or 67.45 percent, to 1,184 no votes, or 32.55 percent.

“This is a huge victory for the community,” said Tony Winterbauer, board president for the Hope Elementary School District and chairman of the Citizens for Hope, Yes on Measure L Committee.

Extension of the bond, which was set to expire in 2026, will secure $8 million in funding for classroom and renewable energy improvements without increasing the current $9 tax rate for district residents.

“Measure L re-engaged the community to invest locally in our schools,” Winterbauer said. “It will help raise property values and even bring in revenue to the district with renewable energy. It will give students what they need for 21st-century learning.”

The $8 million will be used to modernize the Vieja Valley Multipurpose Room, improve the Monte Vista Elementary School library, and buy new computers for fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders. In addition, the district plans to install solar panels and other energy-efficient upgrades that could save up to $65,000 per year.

With passage of Measure K, the county can find some comfort in the continuation of the hotel bed tax, since the revenue goes directly to local needs and can’t be taken away or borrowed by the state.

For more than 20 years, the hotel bed tax — officially titled the “Transient Occupancy Tax” — has charged 10 percent to guests of Santa Barbara County hotels and motels. If voters had rejected Measure K, the tax would have dropped to 8 percent and cost the county about $1.2 million in lost revenue.

In other election news, running unopposed were Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner Bill Brown, county Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Joe Holland and county Auditor-Controller Bob Geis, who will continue in their positions. Each received more than 98 percent voter approval.

In a four-way race to replace retiring county Treasurer-Tax Collector Bernice James, Harry Hagen won by a sizable lead with 30,570 yes votes, or 58.35 percent. Michael Cheng came in a distant second with 8,369 votes (15.98 percent), as did Gregory Gandrud with 8,053 votes (15.37 percent) and Polly Holcombe with 5,207 votes (9.94 percent).

Bill Cirone will serve his eighth four-year term as county superintendent of schools with 98.45 percent of yes votes. He is currently the longest-serving county superintendent in the state of California.

— Noozhawk intern Andrea Ellickson, a UCSB graduate, is a journalism student at SBCC. She can be reached at aellickson@noozhawk.com.A