ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Good--Now Push for Enactment

Congratulations to the Board of Supervisors for recognizing the painful truth about the bankruptcy and voting courageously to order a countywide election for June 27 on a half-cent sales tax increase. Chief Executive Officer William J. Popejoy did a commendable job of making the case that cuts, privatization and other methods of closing the huge budget gap would not be enough, but the supervisors themselves had to make the call.

While all five members voted for the recovery tax, four demonstrated that they saw no alternative to putting the tax increase before voters if essential services are to be preserved and obligations to various agencies and investors are to be met. Supervisor Jim Silva, who had wavered, deserves special mention for realizing the problem with making the numbers add up. That was already understood by Chairman Gaddi H. Vasquez, Marian Bergeson and William G. Steiner.

Supervisor Roger R. Stanton voted with the board but has remained steadfast in his opposition to the tax. He now has the obligation to come up with a plan other than the unacceptable proposal to dismantle Measure M, the sales tax earmarked for transportation projects and approved by voters in 1990. Stanton cannot straddle the fence or actively oppose the new tax. Without a real alternative, he must acknowledge facts and campaign for the passage of Measure R, which would raise the county’s sales tax from 7.75% to 8.25% for 10 years.

By the way, it is also time for officials at every level of government to be more realistic about this crisis. It’s hypocritical of cities and school boards to insist on getting 100% of their money back without supporting a tax increase to accomplish that.

How this new measure will be sold will be very important. Public opinion seems to be divided, and polls suggest that there is a need for public education on the tax issue. While Orange County has a reputation for fiscal conservatism, and while the record of previous sales tax measures is mixed, there is reason to believe that the public would respond affirmatively once fully aware of the seriousness of the situation as outlined Tuesday night by Popejoy.

The supervisors in particular have a responsibility not only to support the measure but to work for its passage. The campaign also should enlist local officials and organizations. The measure should be promoted enthusiastically as an opportunity to set the county on course.

There is less than three months until the vote; Measure R ought to be pitched with all the energy of a wartime emergency effort to buy bonds. To their credit, the supervisors took a first step with their vote this week.