Analyzing and Arguing the Merits of Orange County Sales Tax Issue

Re: Orange County sales tax:

Amazing how fast the “tax takers” leap to the sales tax trough to cover gambling losses. Without conceding a need for additional revenue, we would suggest, instead, a countywide admission/entertainment tax. A 5% county surcharge on entertainment venues would generate as much as Mr. Popejoy’s regressive plan and would burden discretionary spending rather than necessities.

The tourism/entertainment industry places heavy demands on the public sector but contributes proportionally less than it receives in benefits. Virtually every large city collects such revenue but political influence has enabled the tourism industry to avoid city taxes. Such a tax could be collected for the duration of the fiscal emergency and then be returned to the cities for collection or discontinued.

Now is certainly not the time to further burden small businesses and families struggling out of recession. We understand the urgency of the situation but would hope reasoned consideration could be given to more equitable alternatives.

STEVE WHITE

Vice President, Home Owners

Maintaining Their Environment

Anaheim

* On March 16, Supervisor (Roger R.) Stanton was quoted as saying that he really does not want to vote for a tax to support schools and services unless it is absolutely necessary. Further, he does not want to make a decision until he hears from the voters how they feel. Boy, there is one gutsy decision maker.

He helped create the debacle by not “supervising” Mr. Citron. He was willing to allow a lot of county jobs be eliminated to try and reduce the debt (not his, of course) and now he wants to see what the voters want before he makes a decision. You’re a supervisor, Roger, supervise!

Gee, I wonder if there is any chance Roger is worried about his reelection?

BILL HALPIN

Huntington Beach

* Comes now gut-check time for the members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Anyone who can read or count--which presumably includes most of the supervisors--has known for weeks that only by increasing the county sales tax (admittedly and unhappily regressive, but the only quick fix available) can we get out of the financial mess we’re in. Instead, the supervisors have chosen to resist a tax increase as a hobby horse to ride back to credibility with the voters.

While supervisors are closing our libraries, withdrawing help from our poor and disabled, firing thousands of county workers and compromising public safety, they have refused to look in the one direction that offers sure and immediate help.

Even their appointed administrator has urged a tax increase on the supervisors. Now they have one chance--one golden opportunity--to show that they are capable of subordinating their own political ambitions to the well-being of the county at large. To lead instead of waiting for the polls to show they are following a popular trend. Gut-check time.

JOSEPH N. BELL

Newport Beach

* I agree with our new Orange County CEO that we must raise the local sales tax if we are to recover from the current debacle. Hopefully when this is put to a vote, I will also be able to vote to eliminate the road tax that was passed two years ago. We have an emergency and stopping freeway construction will help us maintain essential services.

REX PETERS

Huntington Beach

* Orange County voters should now understand how democracy works: Vote carelessly and you pay for it--literally.

PETER HORTON

Huntington Beach

* Regardless of the conclusions of Brian Snyder or the Reason Foundation, the Libertarian Party of California/Orange County remains committed to seeing Orange County’s fiscal crisis resolved through privatization, asset liquidation, work force reduction, and genuine user fees, rather than increased taxation.

From the initial revelation of the county’s bankruptcy to the present day, no Orange County Libertarian has come forward to advocate the imposition of higher taxes.

We fully support the Board of Supervisors in their effort to hold the line against new or higher taxes.

GEOFFREY BRAUN

Chairman, (Libertarian Party) Orange County Central Committee

* Garden Grove is one of the three cities in Orange County that had no money invested in the county investment pool but its citizens will lose money no matter what system is used to solve the problems.

If county property is sold, it will be property that belongs to all Orange County citizens.

There appears to be a strong indication that there will be an Orange County sales tax increase. That is a good way to drive businesses and jobs away. It will be nice for the cities outside of Orange County to have us pay higher taxes to help them recover their investments in the pool. Orange County is already one of the highest taxed counties in the nation.

Garden Grove residents are served by two sanitary districts that have money invested in the county pool. I understand that one of the districts has received an offer to refinance its debt. If this offer is accepted, we may see our trash bills increased by about $7 per month.

Bob Citron shafted us and the supervisors didn’t supervise. The results are that they draw their lucrative pay or pensions while we pay and pay. How deep are your pockets?

BOB DINSEN

Garden Grove

Bob Dinsen is a Garden Grove councilman. * If private ownership of public buildings is such a wonderful idea, why is it not a widespread, longtime practice?

What happens at lease renewal time? What happens at expansion time? What happens at building obsolescence time? Nothing is free. What will the Board of Supervisors have to sell when they fail again some time in the future to properly manage county affairs?

A temporary 1% tax increase would seem a reasonable and manageable burden, particularly when considered that the Orange County sales tax rate is presently lower than that in Los Angeles and San Francisco counties. After all, it does not apply to food, rent, nor prescription drugs.

Or, how about a countywide entertainment tax?

RICHARD TOLBERT

Anaheim

* Americans in general, and it appears Orange County officials in particular, have great difficulty in facing up to real problems and their obvious solutions. The county’s bankruptcy is a fine example--just raise the needed funds by appropriate taxes and get on with life! Our current crop of fearful politicians, lacking leadership, would rather cut back on county services that are needed to help make life civilized.

I have a suggestion, however, that should be acceptable even to our lackluster officials. Simply put, move up the due date on property taxes a month or two. Moves such as these should have the effect of raising available total budget by perhaps 10% to 15%. Fewer layoffs, continued services and effectively no tax increase.

HARRY G. CAMPBELL

Laguna Beach

* I have been reading in my Times, with increasing dismay, about the actions of the Board of Supervisors in response to the county treasurer’s loss. What is most dismaying is the lack of what I would consider a responsible plan to remedy the situation.

The most recent move has been a plan to lay off over a thousand county employees. With what rationale? If Orange County has truly hired more than 1,000 unnecessary employees in the past, where were the members of the Board of Supervisors while this was happening? If they spent the taxpayers’ money so foolishly, they deserve to be recalled. And if the expenditures were justified to provide needed services, then how can we afford to get rid of so many employees? What will be the consequences in loss of services that the supervisors originally considered appropriate?

Taxation is so dreaded an action that the word may not be written or spoken. But why so dreaded? Just because the arrogantly self-labeled “Committee of Correspondence” makes dire threats? Do they really see themselves of equal stature to the patriots who helped begin our country? Or are they the same old anti-tax folks who brought us Proposition 13 and encouraged Mr. Citron to speculate irresponsibly with our money while his bosses, the supervisors, looked the other way? As though none of them knew what anyone with common sense and money to invest ought to know: that increased return and increased risk are Siamese twins who do not go abroad separately.

Taxes are the way we pay for the governments that serve us. There is nothing reprehensible about the concept or the word. And keep in mind that we taxpayers are responsible for helping with the solution to this problem. Almost all of us contributed to it, either by voting for the reckless treasurer and feckless supervisors, or by not bothering to vote at all. Do we not believe in taking responsibility for our behavior? Should we not all have to pay for our foolishness or apathy? Why just the poor county employees who did nothing wrong and have only tried to do their jobs and serve us?

DONALD SCHWARTZ

Santa Ana

* Three infant homicides in Orange County within the last two weeks underscore the need to expand the county’s commitment to funding children’s services rather than cut back on them.

In a recent talk to the South Orange County Child Abuse Task Force, Supervisor (William G.) Steiner described his struggle to save vital services currently threatened by severe budget cuts. Proven county treatment programs must be maintained.

The world watches Orange County as a bellwether of economic and social opportunity. How this county treats its children forecasts decisions of families and industry to move here. If the message to Orange County is to clean up its mess and be held accountable to restore fiscal confidence, then we strongly recommend that vital services to children be supported by the Board of Supervisors by advocating a sales tax to specifically keep jobs in the county’s children services.

We urge Steiner to continue his fight for expanded services for children and the board to lead public opinion to raise the revenues to maintain lifesaving services.

ANDREW N. SCHWARTZ

Clinical psychologist

Southern O.C. Child Abuse Task Force