League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Santa Barbara County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	Measure S-2010 Proposed Sales Tax for Crime Reduction, Fire Protection and Jail Construction/Operation County of Santa Barbara 2/3 Approval Required Fail: 48590 / 39.24% Yes votes ...... 75250 / 60.76% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure S-2010

Arguments Against Measure S-2010

Measure S will allow the Sheriff to halt the early release of more than 1,700 jail inmates annually into our neighborhoods, and will provide funds to augment, not supplant, crucial public safety services. Measure S will increase safety-in our communities by: Building and operating an additional 304-bed jail facility. Implementing proven programs that reduce the rate at which criminals return to jail (currently 70%). Strengthening front-line law enforcement throughout the County. Bolstering critical front-Line fire and life-safety services countywide. Measure S will be funded by a dedicated 1/2% percent sales tax beginning July 1, 2011. This new 1/2 percent tax will coincide with the legislated expiration of the State's temporary one percent sales tax, for a net V! percent reduction - from 8.75% to 8.25%. Measure S is expected to generate approximately $30 million annually: In the first four years, approximately $15 million. annually goes toward jail construction, after which these funds will be spent on jail operations. Starting year 1, approximately $5 million goes to evidence-based repeat offender reduction programs and alternatives to incarceration. Starting year 1, approximately $10 million goes to front-line law enforcement and fire protection for the Cities of Buellton, Carpinteria, Goleta, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Solvang, County unincorporated areas, and all Fire Districts within Santa Barbara County. Measure S. overseen by independent advisory committees, will sunset in 14 years. All funds will be kept local, must be used as defined in the Measure, and cannot be taken by the State. Measure S allows the County to accept $56.3 million in State jail construction funding, and boosts the local economy with new construction and new j obs. Measure S will be funded by those who spend money in Santa Barbara County, including out-of-county shoppers and tourists. Measure S -For a safer Santa Barbara County. The undersigned authors of the primary Argument In Favor of ballot proposition Measure S-2010 at the Consolidated General Election for the County of Santa Barbara to be held on November 2, 201 Thereby state that this argument is true and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. Board of Supervisors, County of Santa Barbara Signed: Salud Carbajal, 15L District Supervisor Janet Wolf, 2°d District Supervisor Doreen Farr, 3rd District Supervisor Joni Gray, 4d' District Supervisor Joe Centeno, 5th District Supervisor Rebuttal to Arguments For TAXPAYERS HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR THIS NEW JAIL TIME AND TIME AGAIN. Instead, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has wasted the money on less critical items. Now, they want a bailout! Taxpayers have been generous with county government. The budget next year is $860,000,000. But the supervisors say that's not enough - they need more. Without it, they say the basic services that citizens have a right to expect can't be provided: fire and police protection, and incarcerating criminals. These are core functions of government. This is where our money should be spent FIRST, not last. But evidently not in Santa Barbara County. Instead, 1700 inmates were released early. Programs that could reduce crime and gang activity weren't implemented and important fire prevention programs were ignored. But the supervisors did find money for a new administration building and a remodel of the public defenders office. Worse yet, their promises exist in a best-case vacuum: They link public safety to a non-guaranteed $30 million revenue stream, dependent on a recovery that even optimistic economists won't predict. They promise the state will subsidize construction, but California is nearly insolvent. And if funding doesn't come through, the tax will remain. There is no guarantee that our statewide sales tax will decrease 1% in 2011. Regardless, neighboring counties still have lower tax rates and will attract businesses and jobs that we'll lose. Don't fall for this manipulation based on our worst fears. Tell them to get serious with what they have. Gregory Gandrud, Chairman, Santa Barbara County Republican Party Bob Nelson, Chair, Voters for Fiscal Responsibility First - No on Measure S-2010 David R. Stockdale Berto Van Veen

NO NEW TAXES. We're taxed enough already! Vote "NO" on Measure S 2010. Across the cquntry, taxpayers are telling government to CUT SPENDING. Cut bloated government salaries. Cut bloated government pensions. Cut bloated government programs. But the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors isn't listening. Their solution is more taxes. This tax will raise $30 million per year for 14 years. That's $420 million pulled from taxpayer pockets -- your pocket - for bigger government. If California does not end the "temporary" 1% sales tax, your sales tax will be 9.25%. That means Santa Barbara County sales tax will be a full 1% higher than Ventura and other counties, hurting local business and eliminating jobs. For over 20 years, the County has known additional jail space may be needed. But every year they spend the morie elsewhere instead of planning ahead. In just the last year, our supervisors voted $6,100,000 to expand the Betteravia Administration Center, $5,410,000 for a new Emergency Operations Center, and $5,500,000 for remodeling the Public Defender's office. And the average compensation for a county employee is $120,000 per year! Now they say they can't afford $24,000,000 matching funds for the jail. So they want $420 million more of your hard earned money??? The real solution? Grow business. Create jabs. Expand the tax base. But Santa Barbara is one of the most anti-growth counties in the country. It's a job killing machine. Send a message to politicians. Tell them NO NEW TAXES _ Tell them to live within their means. Tell them to cut wasteful spending and bloated government salaries and pensions. Your "NO" vote is a clear message. VOTE "NO" ON MEASURE S. The undersigned proponent(s) or author(s) of the primary argument against Ballot Measure S2010 at the Consolidated General Election to be held on November 2, 2010, hereby state(s) that this argument is true and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. Gregory Gandrud, Chairman, Santa Barbara County Republican Party Bob Nelson, Businessman David R. Stockdale, Businessman Berta van Veen, General Contractor Rebuttal to Arguments Against Measure S-2010 is on the ballot because Santa Barbara County's criminal justice system is overloaded and broken, and because public safety throughout our County is eroding. Those against Measure S have two main arguments: a general opposition to any new taxes, and the belief that our lack of adequate jail capacity should have been addressed long ago. Neither argument solves our problems. We propose to fix them. Measure S-2010 will LOWER CRIME RATES and INCREASE SAFETY by (1) correcting a chronic lack of jail capacity that's gotten steadily worse for 30 years, (2) implementing proven programs and alternatives to jail that reduce repeat offenses, and (3) reinforcing front-line fire and law enforcement resources that suffered major cutbacks during the last 3 years. Measure S-2010 will HELP OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. With it we can accept $56,300,000.00 in State funding towards constructing a new local jail. The building and operation of that jail will create new jobs, and an on-going need for local goods and services. Nobody likes taxes, but we have a unique opportunity. Measure S-2010 will take effect the day after the State's sales tax is legislated to be lowered by 1%, for a NET HALF PERCENT REDUCTION in Santa Barbara County's current tax rate (from 8.75% to 8.25%). It's easy to be a critic. Instead, join us in building the solution. For a tiny sacrifice, we can protect what's most important: our families, homes and neighborhoods. Vote YES ON S-2010 for a safer Santa Barbara County. Visit http://www.YesOnS2010.com. The undersigned authors of the rebuttal to the argument against ballot proposition Measure S-2010 at the Consolidated General Election for the County of Santa Barbara to be held on November 2, 2010 hereby state that this argument is true and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. Bill Brown, Sheriff, Santa Barbara County Michael Dyer, Fire Chief, Santa Barbara County Larry Lavagnino, Mayor, City of Santa Maria Helene Schneider, Mayor, City of Santa Barbara Rick Roney, Chairperson, Sheriff's Blue Ribbon Commission on Jail Overcrowding

Full Text of Measure S-2010

For the full text of the measure, please see Upcoming Santa Barbara County Elections The County will make this available as of September 18