ELECTIONS PROP. 172 : Doomsday Predictions at Center of Sales Tax Debate

Using the disastrous wildfires as their rallying cry, Ventura County government officials are making last-ditch pleas to voters to make permanent a temporary half-cent sales tax.

Officials have warned that if Proposition 172 fails in Tuesday’s statewide election, the county would lose nearly $28 million in sales tax revenue next year--possibly forcing sharp cuts in fire protection, crime fighting and other government services.

But local and state taxpayer groups say they are not buying the county’s doom-and-gloom predictions, and they are urging residents to vote against the tax.

“The whole fire thing is tragic,” said Jere Robings, president of the Ventura County Alliance of Taxpayers. “Everyone appreciates what the county Fire Department has done. But I don’t want to be hit over the head with this as the reason I should pay more taxes.”

Former Assemblyman Tom McClintock, who now heads up a statewide taxpayers association based in Sacramento, accused the state of trying to mislead voters.

The ballot measure is being sold as a way to bolster law enforcement budgets, but the proposed law does not force local governments to spend the money on police and fire services.

The wording of the measure on the ballot is also being criticized. Although the description of the proposition tells voters that they would be approving a tax for law enforcement services, it never explains that the measure is a permanent extension of what has been a temporary half-cent sales tax.

“They are trying to dupe the voters,” McClintock said of state legislators. “We will find out on election night if they have succeeded.”

Despite the controversies over the wording and intent of the measure, county officials say they desperately need the tax revenue because of cuts in state funding. They have vowed to use the money only for law enforcement.

“I weep to think of what will happen if this doesn’t pass,” said Supervisor Maria VanderKolk. “The counties will be devastated and the state will leave us to twist in the wind.”

In June, the legislators decided to shift $2.6 billion in property tax funds from local governments to help balance the state’s budget, at the urging of Gov. Pete Wilson. The transfer meant about a $30-million loss for Ventura County.

To offset the blow, however, the lawmakers extended the half-cent tax, which originally was set to expire on June 30, through the end of the year, and gave that money to local government.

If voters decide on Tuesday to make the tax permanent, an estimated $1.5 billion is expected to be collected statewide next year. The tax originally was enacted two years ago as a temporary measure to help the state through hard times.

The basic sales tax rate in Ventura County is now 7.25 cents on the dollar. If Proposition 172 fails statewide, tax rates in California would drop by half a cent on Jan. 1.

The loss would open a gaping hole in the county’s $836-million budget and force deep cuts, officials say. Although officials say they have enough money in reserves to make it through the end of this fiscal year, sharp reductions would have to be made next fiscal year.

Most county departments have already been ordered to prepare to cut their budgets by 25%. The law enforcement agencies are gearing up for a possible 15% cut.

Making matters worse, county officials say they expect Sacramento to slash funding to county fire departments next year--a move the Legislature put off this year at the last minute. Under current state statutes, the Legislature is responsible for funding county fire departments.

State legislators had considered a proposal to cut funding to the fire departments by about 40%--which would have meant a $20-million reduction to Ventura County’s department.

“We just don’t know what’s going to happen to the fire department,” said Supervisor Vicky Howard. “If the state cuts the funds, we will have a very big hole to fill. It may be all this sales tax does is keep us whole.”

A $20-million loss in state funding would have devastated county fire efforts, said county Fire Chief George Lund.

“We would have probably experienced tenfold in property loss and some fatalities and injuries” in the recent fires if the budget cuts had occurred, Lund said.

He said Proposition 172 would provide the county with money to maintain the Fire Department’s services if the state cuts its funding for 1994-95.

“We know there are going to be state shortages again next year,” Lund said. “It will give us a little more security.”

So far, local supporters of the proposition have spent about $20,000 on radio and newspaper advertising. Citizens for a Safe Ventura County, a group of Sheriff’s Department supporters, has led the charge.

“This is a real chance to take control of your sales tax dollars and spend those dollars for law enforcement,” said Otto Stoll, the group’s president.

If the tax measure fails, law enforcement officials have warned that their departments would face drastic reductions.

Sheriff Larry Carpenter estimated that he would have to cut 100 positions from his 630-employee department if forced to shave 15% from his $48-million budget.

“To the public, it is a loss of patrol time and special investigation time,” Carpenter said. “I have been accused of crying wolf. I can only say what will happen if I’m cut to the levels I’ve been told.”

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury said he could be forced to cut 17 attorneys, four investigators and two victim advocates if the measure fails.

“It would require making some massive changes on the way we approach cases,” Bradbury said. “The most serious crimes would still be given adequate attention. But the misdemeanors that affect the quality of life would suffer greatly.”

Stoll said that with crime gradually rising in the county, residents cannot afford to turn down the tax.

“We cannot afford to risk our neighborhoods,” he said.

But Robings said he does not believe the doomsday forecasts.

“The county has money socked away, yet they act like they are on the brink of disaster,” Robings said. “I’m not terribly worried about the state of the county’s finances.”

The taxpayer advocates said that although supervisors have vowed to spend the money on law enforcement, the officials are not prohibited from making reductions in the current levels of funding for police and Fire Department budgets.

This means that the county could deposit the special sales tax money into the Sheriff’s Department’s budget--as the measure suggests--and then immediately withdraw an identical amount of general fund dollars from that same account. Those funds could then be spent on any program.

“It’s a shell game,” McClintock said.

Michael Saliba, executive director of the Ventura County Taxpayers Assn., added: “There are no safeguards here. . . . It’s time for the taxpayers to say, ‘No.’ ”

But Supervisor Maggie Kildee is asking voters to give the county the benefit of the doubt.

“We need to pass it,” Kildee said. “We said we would use it for law enforcement. If people have not elected board members they can trust, I don’t know what else to say.”