Assembly Republicans Block Jail Bond Issue Affecting Orange County

Assembly Republicans on Friday blocked passage of a $495-million bond issue for county jails in a dispute over what the GOP called “touchy feely” language.

Another victim in the fallout was a $150-million bond issue for local libraries

The Republicans either voted no or refused to vote at all when the roll was called on the two bond issues. Sponsors of the measures wanted them placed on the June 3 primary election ballot.

But Republicans objected to a Democratic amendment to the jail bond issue that would have required counties, as a condition for receiving the state money, to develop special plans and facilities for handling drunks and mentally ill inmates.

‘Need More Jails’

“That touchy-feely stuff is nonsense,” Assembly Minority Leader Pat Nolan of Glendale said after the floor debate. “Too much money would be going into non-jail facilities, and we need more jails.

“The bonds can go on the November ballot instead. They (the Democrats) have held up the bond issues by their stupidity.”

But the amendment’s sponsor, Assemblyman Byron D. Sher (D-Palo Alto), replied: “That’s just crazy. Some counties are putting the wrong people in their jails now--like juveniles, the mentally ill and inebriates--and that’s what leads to overcrowding.”

The county jail bond issue bill was defeated on a 45-17 vote with a two-thirds majority--or 54 votes--required for approval. Democrats outnumber Republicans in the Assembly 46-33, with one vacancy. The losing vote on the library bond issue bill, which also required a two-thirds vote for passage, was 45 to 3.

The deadline for placing bond issues on the June ballot was Jan. 23, according to Secretary of State March Fong Eu. But Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) said he would ignore that edict and insisted that the deadline could be extended until next week.

Crushing Blow to County

Delay of the jail bond measure would be a crushing blow for Orange County officials, who are under federal court order to reduce the population of the overcrowded main jail in Santa Ana.

County officials were hoping that a share of the bond revenues could be used to finance planned improvements at the Musick Honor Farm in El Toro and a new maximum-security facility for which a site is yet to be chosen.

Assemblyman Richard Robinson (D-Garden Grove), who argued in favor of the measure after voting with the Republicans to kill the Democratic amendment, said Orange County was also hoping to get the lion’s share of $20 million specifically set aside for juvenile detention facilities.

Robinson said he will try to rescind Friday’s vote next week.

“It is not a dead issue yet,” said Assistant Orange County Sheriff Jerry Krans.

The voters approved county jail bond issues totaling $530 million in 1982 and 1984.

Sen. Robert Presley (D-Riverside), author of the defeated jail bond issue, said he will be talking to legislators over the long President’s Day weekend “to see if we can put this thing back together again next week.” Presley’s bill previously passed the Senate on a 39-0 vote.

Sen. Barry Keene (D-Benicia) was angry that his $150-million library bond issue also was rejected as a casualty of the jail bond dispute.

Brown ‘Disappointed’

“Holding books hostage is the next worse thing to burning them,” Keene said. “Those Republicans should consider if we had more libraries we might need less money for jails.”

Speaker Brown also issued a statement saying he was “disappointed” that Assembly Republicans “resorted to politics” in denying primary election voters a chance to decide on the two bond issues.

Already on the June election ballot are an $895-million Cal-Vet home and farm loan bond issue, a $150-million bond issue to finance water conservation programs and provide low-interest loans to find ways of removing poisons from the Kesterson federal wildlife refuge in Central California, and a $100-million bond issue for purchase of community parklands.

Contributing to this article was Times staff writer Kenneth F. Bunting.