EAST BAY LOCAL AGENCIES ASK VOTERS FOR MONEY

East Bay voters face a double-edged ballot on Nov 4.

At the same time they pay more at the pump and the grocery store,
cash-strapped local public agencies are asking for money, too.

Of the 58 local ballot measures on Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano
County ballots, a third propose new or extended taxes totalling more
than $750 million.

Nearly half the measures raise funds for schools either through bonds
repaid with property taxes or parcel taxes.

The largest is a $500 million parks bond for the East Bay Regional
Park District. A handful of cities seek cash to pay for new police
officers, street repairs and library services.

"When California's economy catches a cold, these local agencies catch
pneumonia," said Bay Area pollster Alex Evans. "They need money when
the economy is bad."

Proponents argue that public agencies need the money to keep up with
essential services and meet the demands of their residents, while
watchdog groups say taxpayers are already overly burdened with the
costs of an ever-expanding government.

"Local governments believe they absolutely need this extra revenue in
hard times," said Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association President Jon
Coupal. "But what about the hard times being experienced by the
people who have to pay the bills?"

Coupal predicts the economy could dampen the prospects for local tax
measures, particularly if the state pursues a sales tax hike to close
its $15 billion budget gap

But despite the grim economic climate and the perennial debate over
taxes, others say the November election - with the lure of an
exciting presidential race on the ballot - may be these agencies'
best chance for success at the polls.

"November is a good ballot for these measures because there will be a
high turnout, particularly among Democrats and young voters who are
more likely to be supportive," said Barbara O'Connor, director of the
Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at California State
University in Sacramento. "If I were running these ballot campaigns,
I would put them on this ballot."

Livermore, Martinez, Pittsburg, West Contra Costa and Dublin school
districts will take a run at the difficult two-thirds voting hurdle
with parcel taxes. Acalanes and John Swett Unified will ask voters to
approve bonds, which only require 55 percent to pass.

Districts may use bonds for one-time costs such as construction of
new facilities, while parcel taxes can be used for ongoing expenses
such as teacher salaries.

School measures often pass, especially in the affluent Bay Area where
education is a high priority among its predominantly liberal and
moderate voters, said Kim Rueben, an adjunct fellow with the Public
Policy Institute of California and a economist at the Tax Policy
Institute in Washington, D.C.

"I'm guessing that a large percentage of the measures will pass," she
said. "With the state budget in crisis, there is a concern that money
will get tight and having local sources will help ensure that schools
don't have to cut programs."

Among the other measures, Oakland seeks a parcel tax to pay for new
police officers, while Oakley and Richmond propose new or
reformulated business taxes.

The measure under the greatest pressure is most likely the $500
million East Bay Regional Parks bond. Proceeds would pay for trails,
parks and open space.

Bond advocates hopes taxpayers will view it as an extension of
Measure AA, a $225 million bond passed in 1998. They even structured
the new measure to keep the tax rate the same, about $50 a year for a
$500,000 house.

While many public services are experiencing cutbacks, some question
whether recreation warrants such a large investment. On the other
hand, East Bay residents love their parks.

Its voters formed the park district and passed a tax to fund it
during the Depression, said board member Ted Radke of Martinez.

"At a time when people suffered tremendous financial problems, they
saw the value in parks and open spaces," Radke said. "We think that
when people take a look at what we accomplished with the 1998 bond
and realize that we're not asking for a new tax or raising their
taxes, I don't think they will quibble."

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BALLOT MEASURES

East Bay residents face a plethora of state, local and regional
ballot measure questions Nov. 4. Here's a partial list:

STATE

Proposition 5: Expands drug treatment diversion programs for criminal
offenders, modified parole supervision procedures, allows inmates to
earn time off their terms for participation in rehabilitation
programs and reduces penalties for marijuana possession. Majority
vote required.

ALAMEDA COUNTY

Measure JJ, Berkeley: Amend city law to remove limits on medical
marijuana, form a peer review group for enforcement of rules and
eliminate the requirement for a special use permit for medical
marijuana dispensaries. Majority vote required.