As expected, the L.A. City Council today opted not to put a parcel tax on the November ballot to restore library funding.

It would have cost the city $4.2 million to place the measure on the ballot, which is money the city doesn't have. But the council was also wary of asking voters for a new tax in this economy.

Library supporters urged the council to support the $39/parcel annual tax, which would have raised $30 million per year and would have kept libraries open six days a week. Under the current budget, libraries have been cut to five-day service.

The council left open the possibility of going to the voters in March, when it wouldn't cost the city anything. But City Librarian Martin Gomez has said he'd rather wait until November 2012, because polling experts have advised that the tax would need high voter turnout to pass. The tax measure would require a two-thirds vote.

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