Residents in Palmdale approved an increase to the hotel occupancy tax that will add at least $1 million to city coffers. With all 30 precincts reporting, the ballot measure received 64 percent approval from voters with 36 percent voting against the measure, according to the Los Angeles County Clerk’s office. The occupancy tax will increase to 10 percent from 7 percent, putting Palmdale on par with nearby Santa Clarita but more than neighboring Lancaster, which has a hotel tax of 7 percent. The new tax rate is expected to go into effect starting June 1 and would add $1 million to the city’s general fund. City officials decided to raise the tax to make up for a shortfall in sales tax revenue as consumers cut back in spending. Raising the hotel tax tends to be popular with city government’s because it is a way to raise money from visitors and tourists rather than city residents. In other election results, Palmdale voters chose Laura Betterncourt from a field of three candidates to fill a vacancy on the City Council, and narrowly approved by 51 percent repealing term limits for the council and mayor. Mark R. Madler