Prop. A No Solution

Certainly the jails are overcrowded, and so are all our public facilities because our rapid growth has not paid its own way. Increasing the sales tax will only ensure that rapid growth will continue without paying its own way, and the problems will increase. At some time, we’ve just got to draw the line and say, “No more!”

We’ve already been hit by a tax increase for roads, and, if this second increase is approved, there will be others. The situation is like paying ransom to kidnapers.

Such taxes are in essence a subsidy to the developers; if they can get the taxpayers to pay for more jails, roads, schools and the rest of the infrastructure, the developers won’t have to.

Of all forms of taxation, the sales tax is the least justified. There are better financing alternatives, especially adequate fees on each new structure, and the county board can rearrange its priorities for the funds it already has.

There are better alternatives to just more jails, including electronic surveillance. Jails are effective schools to create more offenders. Even paid scholarships to Harvard would be cheaper and more productive.

Vote NO on Proposition A on the June ballot.

LLOYD VON HADEN

Vista