Muller, Fraser re-elected in HMB; Measure J half-cent sales tax passes

The fourth candidate in the race, Charles Ullom, finished far behind with about 14.6 percent of the vote.

As Muller and Fraser won so did Measure J, a half-cent sales tax that will raise about $870,000 annually over the next three years.

Muller supported the tax, but Fraser did not.

Measure J won with 53.9 percent approval last night, according to the county election’s office.

Muller said the extra sales tax revenue will be spent on the city’s infrastructure needs such as road paving and library fixes.

"I’m very pleased with the support,” Muller told the Daily Journal last night. "It’s time to put the negatives of the past behind.”

Fraser and Muller were running as a slate and the contest got a little "nasty,” Muller said.

"The opposition can always get a little nasty and mean but Marina and I tried to keep our heads above the fray and stay positive,” Muller said last night.

Both Rarback and Ullom were critical of how the city has been run in recent years, noting lost court battles and Coastal Act violations that cost the city big money.

Going forward, Fraser wants to bring some projects back to life that sat idle while the city dealt with the botched Beachwood development that costs the city about $1 million a year in bond payments.

Half Moon Bay had about 70 employees just a few short years ago but that number has dwindled to about 20 now as Half Moon Bay contracts out many services it used to provide in-house such as police and administration services for its parks and recreation programs.