Torn between dislike of higher taxes and impatience with traffic congestion, California voters were narrowly favoring a complex package of proposals that would ease government spending restrictions and trigger a 9-cent-per-gallon hike in the gasoline tax.
With solutions to a state budget crisis riding on the outcome, the fate of Proposition 111 remained in doubt. Gov. George Deukmejian was banking that passage of the measure would allow him to leave office with a solid plan in place for revitalizing California's overburdened transportation system.
As late returns filtered in, Propositions 118 and 119, two Republican-backed plans to change the way legislative and congressional districts are drawn every 10 years, clearly had gone down in defeat, while Proposition 115, a ballot measure that would streamline California's criminal justice system was easily winning passage.
And in a triumph for lawmakers, voters approved Proposition 112, a ballot measure that would impose new ethical standards on state officials but make it easier for legislators and elected state officials to win pay raises.
Despite the complexity of many of the 17 propositions on the ballot, voters appeared to be making careful choices among some proposals. They were showing support, for example, for Proposition 121, which would authorize $450 million in bonds for higher education. But voters were much more strongly in favor of Proposition 123, which would permit an $800 million issue for public schools.
On the transportation front, Proposition 108, a plan for $1 billion in bonds to finance mass transit, was a favorite with the voters, but Proposition 116, an initiative that authorizes $2 billion in bonds for rail transportation, held a small lead. Proposition 108 cannot go into effect without the passage of Proposition 111.
Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar), chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee and an author of the gas-tax proposal, cautiously predicted victory for Proposition 111.
"I think people recognize that we have to solve the gridlock problems that we are facing and I think they understand that periodically you have to make an investment in the future," Katz said.
Anti-tax crusader Ted Costa said he expected the voting to be "awfully close" because opponents did not have the financial strength to mount a strong media attack.
