ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Poll Shows Size of One Big Job

The results of The Times Orange County Poll on Measure R, the sales-tax measure that voters will consider in a special election on June 27, were unsurprising. Nobody wants to pay new taxes, especially when they aren’t sure the taxes are truly needed. The poll finding that 57% of registered voters are opposed to the proposed half-cent, 10-year sales tax increase to help with the bankruptcy recovery suggests how much public education remains to be done on the issue of Orange County’s fiscal breakdown.

County Chief Executive Officer William J. Popejoy said as much when he commented on the poll results, and in the same breath he noted that he and his staff had lived day in and day out with the reality of the numbers facing the county. For the most part, the public hasn’t done that, and there is a feeling at large--a feeling that is quite understandable--that the people shouldn’t have to pay the price for the mistakes of a few.

Nevertheless, the reality is that bringing in new revenue from taxation is only one part of the recovery plan and that a failure to achieve new tax income would put the entire program in jeopardy. Those who have looked closely at the numbers reluctantly have concluded that there really isn’t an alternative, given the urgency of the county’s fiscal situation.

Also, there are remedies in the electoral process for concerns about the job performance of public officials, which is an issue separate from that of empty coffers.

It was interesting and useful for those who must do the thankless job of selling the tax that there certainly is no appetite among poll respondents for having the state take over the county’s finances. It makes a great deal of sense to resolve this problem locally.

Even as the poll results were being reported, there were reminders of the county’s financial shakiness. Because of the cash crunch, there was discussion of a dubious plan that would entail Orange County defaulting on $600 million of its debt on grounds that the borrowings were illegal. And on Tuesday, the supervisors approved a $275-million bond issue designed to pay back agencies a portion of their losses. The underlying problem is that the county still has no solid sources of revenue to help it make good on all its obligations.

The poll did find that only 8% say they don’t think the investment fund losses will hurt the quality of life in Orange County or the quality of education in their school district.

Clearly, the more the gap can be closed between people’s anger over what happened and actual fiscal realities, the more the public can be brought to a recognition that the county ultimately must help itself. All concerned with the future must join in that campaign between now and June.