Vote on Jail, Court Construction Denied : Assembly Democrats Kill June Ballot on Sales Tax; Compromise Effort in Works

Democratic forces marshaled by Assemblyman Steve Peace rejected a bill Thursday that would authorize a San Diego County sales tax vote for courts and jail construction, seriously jeopardizing chances that local officials can place the measure on the June 3 ballot.

But a hastily fashioned compromise worked out by Peace (D-Chula Vista) and Republican Assemblymen Bill Bradley of San Marcos and Larry Stirling of San Diego set the stage for a weekend of intense political maneuvering.

After the rejection, the bill was amended to authorize an election for the proposed half-cent sales tax hike in November, when it would most likely have to compete with another sales tax increase to finance transportation projects, including improvements in San Diego’s trolley.

County Board of Supervisors Chairman Paul Eckert said local officials were trying to avoid placing the two tax measures before voters at the same time. If the Legislature rules out the June date, Eckert said he would prefer waiting until April, 1987, to hold the tax election for criminal justice facilities.

Eckert said the legislative action blocking the June election was disappointing. He added that Peace has to assume some of the responsibility if jail overcrowding worsens.

The crucial vote Thursday occurred in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, where Peace and Democratic floor leader Mike Roos (D-Los Angeles) argued that placing the measure on the June ballot would hurt chances that a $495-million statewide bond issue for county jail construction will be approved by voters.

Peace said he is not at odds with San Diego County officials over the critical need for new jail and court facilities. But “if you gave the county the money today,” he said, “they would not know what to do with it.”

Besides, Peace added, the criminal justice measure has “absolutely no chance” of passing by the required two-thirds vote “without the county having made the kinds of decisions” to answer questions “any rational voter would ask before reaching into his pocket to spend money.” Peace said the tax increase might fare better once supervisors have chosen a site for the new facilities.

This week, supervisors authorized an environmental impact report on prospects for constructing a new men’s jail on county-owned land adjacent to the Los Colinas women’s jail in Santee. But Dianne Jacob, an aide to Supervisor George F. Bailey, said other sites could be considered.

All nine Republican members of the Ways and Means Committee voted to authorize the June tax election. But committee Chairman John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara) was the only Democrat to join them in supporting it. Three Democrats voted against the measure, while 11 others abstained--making the official tally 10-3, two short of the 12 votes needed for approval.

Although Peace had said more than two weeks ago that he would try to block the June sales tax election, Bradley said the opposition caught him by surprise.

“I thought the delegation was united behind this,” said Bradley, who conceded that chances for a June election are now extremely slim.

However, when the bill was amended in the Public Safety Committee later Thursday to call for a November election, Bradley said everyone--including Peace--realized that the change would displease Peace’s close friend, Sen. Wadie P. Deddeh (D-Chula Vista).

Bradley said Deddeh, a strong backer of the planned half-cent sales tax increase for transportation projects, might influence Peace to back down and allow the June election for the criminal justice facilities to be approved when the amended version of his bill is back before the Ways and Means Committee on Monday.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what Deddeh is going to beat Steve across the head with: a 2-by-4 or a 6-by-6,” Bradley joked.

“We’ll do whatever has to be done,” said Deddeh, adding that jail overcrowding is indeed “a crisis in San Diego.”

Faced with too many tax and bond measures, Deddeh predicted, “People might just go right down the line voting no on everything.”

Saying that their court facilities are woefully inadequate and their jails are filled beyond capacity, San Diego County officials have made the criminal justice tax measure their top legislative priority this year.

When Bradley’s bill passed the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee earlier this week, San Diego County Sheriff John Duffy testified that the combined population of the county’s six jails was nearly twice the rated capacity. All except the main downtown jail, which is under federal court order to limit its population, are packed beyond capacity, Duffy said.

Duffy said his deputies have been forced to release some accused persons without ever locking them up, and judges say they have to consider the overcrowded conditions of the county’s lockups when passing sentences.

“There is no more room at the inn and we fear the lid is going to blow off,” Municipal Judge Frederic Link said here this week.

Local officials say they need $420 million for a new jail and new courtroom buildings. A half-cent sales tax, imposed for five years, would raise about $300 million of that, county officials say.