Contra Costa County, Calif., Ballot May Contain Open-Space Measure.

Byline: Denis Cuff

Jul. 18--RICHMOND, Calif.--When he treks up shoreline hills here to look down on the vast blue expanses of San Francisco Bay, David Dolberg says he sees why Contra Costa voters might approve their first-ever countywide tax to preserve open spaces.

It would save places like this, he says.

Dolberg and other park lovers, county and city officials, and farm and ranch protection advocates are joining forces to plan a countywide ballot measure in November of next year to buy, preserve or improve open lands.

It won't be easy to garner a two-thirds majority for a ballot measure, say county officials still smarting from the defeat of a library tax last fall.

But they say they think voters frustrated by growth may be receptive to approving more public money to preserve land. …