Posted on 01/17/2004 9:56:56 AM PST by John Jorsett
Determined to raise new funds for law enforcement, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca will start collecting signatures today for a November ballot initiative that would raise the sales tax by a half-cent.
To collect the 200,000 signatures necessary to qualify the initiative for the ballot, Baca will rely on volunteers from community organizations. The effort will get underway at a South Los Angeles prayer breakfast.
If approved by Los Angeles County voters, Baca's plan to raise the tax from 8.25% to 8.75% would generate $500 million annually. The money would be divided among the Sheriff's Department, the Los Angeles Police Department and dozens of smaller police agencies.
"The bottom line is the public needs to understand this is the only way to make the streets safer," Baca said. "For too long, we've been doing too much with too little."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Let's recall the big government SOB.
Will that be done on taxpayer time, Sheriff?
The Los Angeles City Council is considering a citywide tax measure for law enforcement.
The total the state [California] spends on illegal immigrants is no more than $4.6 billion a year...
Attention Sheriff Baca & L.A. City Council: Get the money from the illegal aliens.
Sure it is you statist pig. Streets would be safer with Vermont carry, or at least shall-issue, but you blow your budget using police to disarm citizens, and then complain you don't have enough money to lock up criminals.
Baca would be better served to collect signatures to force the state to return to the counties those monies already collected by the counties for the purpose stated.
If the temperature rises too rapidly, we froggies might hop out of the pot.
You should have heard him on the John and Ken radio show (KFI AM640, Los Angeles). Some caller phoned in and said she couldn't afford the increased car tax on her $30k car. At which point Baca told her that if she couldn't manage her finances well enough to kick in the extra dough, she didn't deserve to have that car. I predict a career in the state legislature for him after he retires. He already has the right imperious attitude and sense of entitlement.
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca kicks off a petition drive today to garner support for a countywide half-cent sales tax increase he says could pump an additional $500 million into public safety.
If enough signatures are gathered to place the measure on the November ballot, and it is approved by two-thirds of county voters, the tax increase could generate an estimated $6.1 million in public safety funds for Palmdale and $5.9 million to Lancaster in the first year.
But in order for the Public Safety, Homeland Security and Local Anti-Terrorism Sales Tax Initiative to appear on the Nov. 2 ballot, Baca will need approximately 200,000 petition signatures before June. That represents 10% of the county voters who cast ballots in the gubernatorial recall election.
"This is my plea to the public. I need your help," Baca said Friday, citing the loss of 1,100 deputies in recent years, the closing of jails and the downsizing of court services and detective bureaus.
Spearheading the initiative drive is a move the sheriff admits could put his political career on the line.
"The day we are sworn into this department, we understand that what we do is risk our lives every day for public safety," Baca said. "I don't consider my political career to be any different than what I swore to do."
Baca said an economic recession, soaring workers' compensation costs and the "hijacking" of tax dollars by the state Legislature are to blame for the curtailments his department has seen in recent years. He said the proposed sales tax increase, which would raise the tax rate from 8.25% to 8.75% throughout the county, will be a way to build back the department to its former levels.
"This will be a way to stop the hemorrhaging," he said.
Under the proposal, funds from the tax increase will be divided into thirds, with one-third dispersed among cities that contract with the Sheriff's Department and unincorporated areas, one-third to the city of Los Angeles and one-third among other cities that have their own police forces.
Based on Baca's formula, Palmdale would receive $6.1 million the first year and Lancaster would receive $5.9 million. The city of Los Angeles would receive $167.94 million.
At least two Los Angeles City Council members have endorsed the proposal, and Baca is receiving support from Los Angeles Police Department Chief William Bratton. He said he is doubtful the county Board of Supervisors will back his proposal after being rejected two years ago when he asked them to place a similar one on the ballot. This time, he decided to circumvent the board altogether and try to get the proposal on the ballot with a grass-roots signature campaign.
Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich was not available for comment Friday.
Captains at the Lancaster and Palmdale sheriff's stations speak highly of the sheriff's proposal.
"I think it's an excellent effort that would surely strengthen the services we provide out here to local communities," said Capt. John Witt of the Palmdale station. "It would give us a stable income source, and we won't have to worry where the money is going to come from every year."
Capt. Carl Deeley, commander of the Lancaster station, said the way in which funds are allocated is appealing.
"The good thing about this is that it puts the money directly in the hands of the cities," he said.
Baca has often criticized the state for keeping tax dollars that he believes should go directly to local governments.
Not everyone has jumped on-board with the sheriff's proposal, however. "It's not going to be an easy sell," Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford said, citing the 1993 sales tax increase in Proposition 172, which he believes had little benefit for his city. Ledford said Palmdale residents experienced a sales tax increase along with the rest of the county, but that the rewards didn't materialize as expected for the Antelope Valley.
"The crux is if you don't pay attention to the ball it gets hidden," he said. Ledford said he is reluctant to support the sheriff proposal until he has an opportunity to see exactly how the funds will return to his city.
Lancaster Mayor Frank Roberts learned of the proposal last week at a League of California Cities meeting. He said he plans to add his name to the petition, and hopes enough signatures are collected so that the proposal appears on the November ballot.
Roberts said the Lancaster station must grow with the population and crime rate, and he and other Lancaster officials feel so strongly about this issue that they are already asking residents to approve a $25 per-parcel tax hike during the April city election. The tax increase would fund 10 additional deputies for the Lancaster station.
There is some concern among Lancaster officials that Baca's proposal may alienate local voters. While Deeley said he will actively support the sheriff's proposal by helping to gather signatures, his first priority is seeing the Lancaster property tax initiative pass.
"We need to start with our problems right away," he said. "We are extended to the limits of what we can do. There is a definite need."
If the Lancaster measure passes in April, and Baca's proposal is placed on the ballot and passes in November, Deeley suggested that officials would then discuss whether both tax increases would be needed. But he added that officials can't take a chance, and hopes that Baca's proposal passes, because he believes getting enough signatures before June is going to be a difficult task.
Baca, however, projected an image of confidence, and stated that he believes he can secure 400,000 signatures -- twice the amount needed.
To learn more about Baca's efforts, visit the Web page at www.sheriffleebaca.org. njacob@avpress.com
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