A Minor but Crucial Stream of Revenue : Prop. 172 is a lifeline for law enforcement, other key services

Your sales tax will drop by one-half percent next Jan. 1 if voters reject Proposition 172 on Tuesday’s statewide election ballot. That’s the good news. The bad news is that for the less than huge saving of 0.5% on most retail transactions, local government--and especially local law enforcement--will probably go into deep shock.

The background is this: In a severe regional recession, every penny--or halfpenny--that can be left in consumers’ hands should be left exactly there. But last June, to balance the state’s miserably unbalanced budget, the Legislature and the governor agreed to make the numbers work on the assumption that voters in November would approve extending the current one-half percent sales tax beyond its intended date of demise, Dec. 31, 1993. It was a heartless little maneuver, to be sure, but that seemed the best thing to do at the time--to leave it to the voters.

The most recent polls suggest that Proposition 172 will be rejected. But if that happens, many vital services that already have been cut substantially will be slashed even further. We’re not talking about silly commissions or political pork and government fat; we’re talking about police and jails and prosecutors. Those are things California absolutely needs.

Moreover, if the sales tax extension is not approved by voters--it needs only a simple majority to pass--more power will flow to Sacramento, because localities, financially tapped out, will have to go to the state Capitol looking for funds. That’s no way to run a railroad--and Sacramento has precious little in the way of extra money lying around anyway.

Ordinarily it pays to be wary of scare scenarios from local agencies--and certainly these offices are painting them in bold and depressing colors now. One official says that if the sales tax extension (not a new tax, remember, but keeping the current tax level where it’s at) doesn’t fly, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will have to close eight of nine jails. That seems a bit apocalyptic to us. But we do know that most sensible Californians want a sensible level of government services.

The revenues from this one-half percent extension are more or less earmarked for a variety of law enforcement and criminal justice system expenditures. And by and large they are worthy. So swallow hard and support the sales tax extension. The alternative is far too risky.

In a recession like this, people feel angry and frustrated when they learn of government waste, political corruption or sheer governmental stupidity. Indeed, some of that exists in political life now, and it will forever. But there is also a lot of hard work by people in public service, and a lot of dedication. Continuing the half-percent sales tax is not only a vote for essential government services, it is also a vote of confidence in those in local government who are not incompetent, who are not corrupt and who deserve a display of trust. And there are many such people in government, especially in law enforcement. A vote for Proposition 172 is a vote for just enough of a revenue stream--and that’s what this half-cent extension is, a minor revenue stream--to avoid unnecessary trauma.