League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Santa Barbara County, CA June 5, 2012 Election
	Measure U2012 Sales Tax Increase to Fund Essential Services City of Santa Maria Ordinance - Majority Approval Required Pass: 5302 / 63.91% Yes votes ...... 2994 / 36.09% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure U2012

Vote YES on U2012 -- to protect, maintain, and restore Santa Maria's essential services and protect our community against continuing unfair raids by the politicians in Sacramento! Raids by the State have dramatically reduced funding available for our local services. Sacramento politicians have already seized $28.5 million of Santa Maria's money and just recently took another $1.3 million in annual revenue, putting our essential services -- such as police and fire-- at risk. Santa Maria faces a severe fiscal crisis. We've had no choice but to reduce services levels and eliminate or not fund 68 service providers - including police and fire + at a time when fire service calls have increased 80% and gang/drug activity has escalated! Yes on U2012 hires additional firefighters to get Fire Station #5 operational as soon as possible, improving 9-1-1 response times and saving lives! Yes on U2012 also: Enables our rapid police and fire 9-1-1 emergency response times Maintains our neighborhood police patrols Allows our Police Department to restore Gang Suppression Unit Officers Helps prevent flooding by completing levee repairs Assists in maintaining other essential City services Measure U2012 funds will be legally required to stay in Santa Maria and by law, cannot be taken by Sacramento, providing protected and reliable locally controlled funds for local services. Yes on U2012 includes strong fiscal accountability protections, such as annual, independent financial audits and an Independent Citizens Oversight Committee that will monitor spending to ensure money is spent appropriately. Measure U2012 doesn't apply to food purchased as groceries or prescription medicine + only on taxable goods. Yes on U2012 expires in nine years. That's why the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce, local business leaders, police officers and firefighters all endorse YES on U2012 -- to keep our community safe and financially stable. Vote YES on U2012! Questions? Visit http://www.YesonU2012SaveEssentialServices.com The undersigned author(s) of the argument in favor of ballot measure U2012 at the Special Statewide Primary Election for the City of Santa Maria to be held on June 5, 2012 hereby state that such argument is true and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. /s/ Larry Lavagnino, Mayor /s/ Hugh Rafferty, Improve North County (INC), President /s/ Bob Hatch, Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO /s/ Frank Ortiz, Retired Fire Chief /s/ Chris Nartatez, Santa Maria Police Officers Association, President (No arguments against Measure U2012 were submitted)