Print San Diego’s elected leaders took key steps Tuesday to transform a loss at the polls a year ago into a victory that could potentially clear the way for funding a long-stalled expansion of the city’s convention center, services for the homeless and road repairs. At issue is Measure C, which sought to hike the city’s hotel tax to raise close to $7 billion to finance the three civic initiatives. The proposition technically failed because it did not garner the two-thirds majority required for approval, although it came tantalizingly close — at 65.24 percent. Since then, however, there have been three appellate court decisions concluding that simple majority approval is adequate when a tax hike is placed on the ballot by citizens, which was the case with Measure C. The state Supreme Court has so far denied review in two of those cases, which is seen as an encouraging sign for Measure C backers. A third case is awaiting the high court’s review.