Sheriff, D. A. to Get Most of Tax Funds : Law enforcement: County’s fire chief criticizes supervisors’ distribution of the expected $26 million in Prop. 172 revenue.

Ignoring pleas from the Ventura County Fire Department, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously agreed to devote more than 90% of an expected $26 million in special sales tax revenue to law enforcement.

County Fire Chief George Lund had asked the supervisors to give $5.5 million to his department, saying voters had intended that some of the tax money go to firefighters when Proposition 172 was approved in November.

But as Lund walked out of the supervisors’ meeting in disgust, board members agreed to allocate $24 million from the tax to the sheriff, district attorney, public defender and corrections services director. The supervisors will decide later how to spend the remaining $2 million.

Sheriff Larry Carpenter, who plans to use a large portion of the money for the new county jail near Santa Paula, said the supervisors showed “some real courage.”

“They’ve done what a lot of people thought they would not do,” said Carpenter, whose department will receive nearly $17 million from the tax next year. “They have struck a real blow for safe streets in Ventura County. A strong blow.”

Lund, however, said later that he felt betrayed.

“I believe the tax was passed by the greater majority because of the massive fires in Southern California,” Lund said. “The voters saw our services as part of the public safety. But today we are not even considered as part of the conversation. . . . I’m extremely disappointed.”

County officials defended their decision, saying the Fire Department must make its operations more efficient.

A county audit of the Fire Department last year found that the department is top-heavy with managers, spends too much on overtime and is lax with sick leave.

Although Lund disputes the audit’s findings, the supervisors have pushed for reform.

“I’m not going to give the Fire Department any more money until some restructuring is done,” Supervisor John K. Flynn said.

Supervisor Maggie Kildee added: “We have a very good Fire Department. . . . But they have to come to us with a plan that outlines the best way to provide services.”

*

Supervisor Maria E. VanderKolk said she believes that law enforcement should be the top priority.

“All I hear about is crime,” VanderKolk said. “We can argue about why Proposition 172 was passed.” Referring to a Northern California girl who was kidnaped and slain last year, VanderKolk added, “I think Polly Klaas may have been on the minds of voters too.”

Ever since voters agreed to make permanent a half-cent sales tax to shore up the budgets of local public safety agencies, the lobbying efforts for the funds have been fierce.

In an unprecedented move, members of the county’s criminal justice system banded together and submitted a request for the $24 million last week. Lund quickly drafted his own plea for $5.5 million, money he hoped to use to restore 19 positions eliminated last year because of budget cuts.

And leaders of Ventura County’s 10 cities sent a letter to the board asking for $2.6 million for other law enforcement efforts.

*

In the end, the supervisors voted as they had promised, giving the money to the crime fighters.

“I have mixed emotions,” said Thousand Oaks Councilman Frank Schillo, who lobbied Tuesday on the cities’ behalf for a slice of the funds. “I’m happy the criminal justice agencies got what they had asked for. However, the citizens of the cities are going to be mighty disappointed.

“The people in Thousand Oaks voted for this because they wanted more police services. I don’t see us getting any more police services,” he said.

But county law enforcement officials say the cities will reap the benefits from the expanded services.

Carpenter, whose department provides law enforcement services to half of the county’s cities, said he plans to hire 92 deputies, trainees and a technician. He said he also will use $10 million to operate the new Todd Road Jail, scheduled to open next year.

Public Defender Kenneth I. Clayman, whose office will receive $746,105, said he plans to hire five attorneys, two investigators, two law clerks and a social worker.

“It will enable us to keep up,” Clayman said.

Meanwhile, Frank C. Woodson, corrections services agency director, will receive $2 million for his department. The money will be used to hire 41 employees, primarily probation officers.

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury said his office, which will receive about $2 million, plans to add 33 positions, including 11 attorneys and six investigators.

“It’s going to make a difference in this county,” Bradbury said. “We have been losing ground badly for the last four years. It’s been held together with baling wire and chewing gum. But this is going to get us back like gangbusters.”