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Two countywide measures regarding Tehama County supervisors' pay and elections, and a transient occupancy tax issue in Siskiyou County are among more than a dozen local ballot initiatives regional voters will decide on Nov. 4.

In Tehama County, Measure A would let voters elect supervisors by district rather than countywide beginning with the 2010 race, while Measure B would allow the county grand jury to recommend supervisors' salaries.

Supervisors have been elected at large since 1982 and have been making $12,540 annually since 1988. Supervisors voted this summer to put both measures on the ballot, as the measures' proponents have argued they would attract more qualified candidates to supervisors' contests.

The more controversial of the two initiatives is perhaps Measure A, whose critics include Supervisor Charlie Willard. Opponents argue the current system forces supervisors to base their decisions on the good of the entire county, not just their districts.

In Siskiyou County, Measure M would increase bed taxes by 2 percent, to 10 percent, in unincorporated areas. Mount Shasta, Dunsmuir and other cities already charge a 10 percent rate, and proponents argue most tourism destinations charge a similar rate to pay for road maintenance, law enforcement and other costs.

Among other measures facing Siskiyou voters:

• Measure N would impose a special tax of up to $40 per parcel in the Scott Valley area for fire protection.

•The South Yreka Fire Protection District would be allowed to increase its spending limits under Measure P.

• Measure Q is a $12.5 million bond measure for the Siskiyou Union High School District for school repairs.

•Measure R would allow the Lake Shastina Community Services District to increase its parcel tax for police protection from $65 to $97.

• Under Measure S, the Hornbrook Fire Protection District would be allowed to increase its spending limit.

• Measure T would enable the McCloud Community Services District to levy various parcel taxes for fire protection, emergency response and ambulance services. The tax rates would range from $76 for a vacant lot to $918 for a mobile home park and apartment complex.

Meanwhile, Trinity County has four local ballot measures. They are:

• Measure S, a nearly $6 million bond measure for the Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District for school construction and modernization.

• Measure T, which would enable the Post Mountain Public Utilities District to assess a $35 parcel tax for road and equipment maintenance, snow plowing and administration.

• Measure U, which would allow the Weaverville/Douglas City Parks and Recreation District to assess a tax of 0.015 percent of the assessed value of each parcel for maintenance, operation and upgrades of the Lowden Park pool.

• Measure V, a $20 parcel tax in the Greater Hayfork Valley Park and Recreation District for maintaining swimming and park facilities.

Elections offices began accepting mail-in ballots on Monday and will do so until Election Day. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 4.

Reporter Tim Hearden can be reached at 529-5110 or thearden@redding.com.