The Napa County Elections Office released the official results of the voting earlier this month, and we have obtained a tally of how the Angwin precinct voted, which we compare here with the rest of the County.

Measure H, the proposal to raise the sales tax to 8.25%, landed with a clunk.

The money would have gone for highway improvements, the biggest single chunk for Route 12 (Jamieson Canyon) down near American Canyon. Angwinites were subjected to a barrage of slick "educational" flyers along with everyone else in the County, but the 48% vote here was far short of the 66% required for new taxes. And less than the 53% for the County as a whole.

(See Box below for my thoughts on Measure H)

Measure Z was a proposal that County supervisors be required to sign a document that they had read staff research and reports on any proposed ordinance before voting Yes on a new law. (They would not have been required to sign such a document if they had voted No, which seems kind of dumb). In essence, Measure Z was a vote for or against the credibility of the supervisors. District Three supervisor, Diane Dillon, can take comfort in the fact that Angwin did not go with the flow on this one. It gave only 47% of its votes to Z, compared to 56% countywide.

Measure A was the most significant proposal on the ballot. Launched by "property rights" proponents, it would require the County to reimburse land owners for any loss - real or imagined - which they might experience from any new land use regulation. While a number of Angwinites are rightly concerned about unjust regulations, 59% of the community voted No on this one. That compares with 63% countywide.

Voter turn-out here was terrible. Only 26%, compared with 49% countywide. How would the other 74% of registered Angwin voters have voted? Good question. Their numbers would not have changed the countywide outcomes, but Angwin's community leaders need to address this problem. Because issues coming up will make Angwin votes more important than ever for the future of this village.

The Land Trust of Napa County has acquired a large and very scenic chunk of land on Howell Mountain, to preserve as wildland for eternity. They were helped with the generosity of an Angwin family.

Wildlake Ranch - 3,000 acres along the ridge that runs from Angwin to nearly the Mt. St. Helena - has been in the hands of a hunt club for many years. When they decided to sell it for development, Angwinites Randy and Lori Dunn inspired the Land Trust to nail down an option to buy. The cost: nearly $20 million. The Dunn's contributed the first $5 million.

This parcel is completely virgin land, rich in forests and wildlife, and offers splendid views of both Napa Valley and Pope Valley. It runs for 4 miles along the ridge. There are no roads or trails through the area.

I am tremendously excited about this project. My sons and I have hiked through the area several times in years past and know that it provides a wonderful experience of primitive land and breath-taking views. The closest view is a look down on the village of Angwin from Rattlesnake Ridge and the farthest is a look at the Palisades overlooking Calistoga.