OPPOSITION TO NEW JAIL PLAN FORMS

Ballot arguments against the measure are filed; opponents say increasing
the sales tax is not the best way to pay for the project.

Tax-hike foes are challenging the proposed county sales tax increase on the
March ballot that would fund a new $100-million-plus jail and upgrades to
the juvenile detention centers.

This unexpectedThe organized opposition is a blow to Sheriff Jim Thomas,
who is appearing weekly at service club luncheons to campaign for voter
support. To win, supporters need two-thirds voter approval.

Ballot arguments in opposition were filed Tuesday afternoon, beating
today's filing deadline. Arguments in support are set to be filed today by
the sheriff and the county's Pprobation Cchief, Sue Gionfriddo. So will an
analysis written by the county government's attorneys.

The tax would increase the county's 7.75 percent sales tax to 8.25 percent.
It would start as a half-cent increase in July and last five years, costing
about $48 annually for the average consumer. That would raise about $100
million for construction. The tax would then revert to a quarter-cent tax,
raising $13 million annually for operations and upkeep of the new facilities.

The names of those filing the arguments cannot be made public for two more
weeks under state elections law, said county Elections Division manager Bob
Smith.

But in interviews Tuesday, two South Coast men said they are committed to
fighting the measure. A.

J. Tarman of Santa Barbara, a real estate broker, and Gregory Gandrud of
Carpinteria, a self-employed accountant who's a Republican Central
Committee member, agree the new jail is needed. But they oppose financing
it through a sales tax.

"People are being taxed enough already and government is not making good
use of the money it has now," Tarman said.

"I will sign a ballot argument and I expect others to sign," Gandrud said,
adding he anticipates at least two others to join. "The financing could be
done differently. We do not need to be raising our sales tax. I want state
legislators to free up the money they have."

The sheriff was disappointed to learn that formal arguments were being filed.

"I wish I could have talked with them first to explain how badly we need
these facilities," Thomas said. Another Santa Barbara member of the
Republican Central Committee was dissuaded from signing the ballot argument
after meeting with the sheriff.

Thomas maintains his pay-as-you-go approach using the sales tax is the best
method, and is cheaper than using bond money.

The sheriff has made 10 speeches to clubs and organizations around the
county this month. Gandrud and Thomas faced off Tuesday night on
television. Gandrud is producer and host of the weekly TV talk show "The
Future of Freedom" on Cox Cable Channel 17.

"In all my presentations, we've not found anybody who doesn't understand
the need," Thomas said before the show aired. "If people give us enough
time to explain it, they see there are no alternatives."

Following today's filing deadline for ballot arguments, rebuttals are due
at the elections office by Dec. 12. All the arguments will be made public
Dec. 13.

Meanwhile, there's some politicking is going on behind the scenes.

Another development took shape following a Monday meeting between the
sheriff and the board of the influential Santa Barbara County Taxpayers
Association Board.

Adamant in their beliefs that a quarter-cent sales tax in perpetuity is
problematic, the association's board urged that the tax be formally
reviewed every five years by the county auditor-controller.

"It should be reviewed to see if it's necessary and that the money is being
spent correctly," said Joe Armendariz, executive director of the association.

Thomas told the News-Press he agrees. He said he'll ask the county Board of
Supervisors to include that provision.

While the taxpayers association has not yet formally voted to support or
oppose the sales tax, Armendariz said members want to work with the sheriff
to "construct a tax that is saleable to the public."

One of the biggest selling points for Thomas is pointing out that 1,198 men
and women inmates have been released early from County Jail since June to
meet a court-ordered cap on the jail population.

Only 605 inmates are allowed to be held at any one time. Most who are freed
from custody are transferred to one of four programs, including electronic
monitoring, work alternatives, work furlough or county parole. Those
inmates are monitored as they live and work in the community while serving
their court-ordered sentences -- just not behind bars.

The county Probation Department hired three extra officers in October and
November to expand its supervision of the electronic monitoring program,
which requires inmates to wear bracelets or anklets that signal their
location.

Early releases have slowed from about 250 inmates in July to about 100 in
November. Thomas said the reason isthat is because the jail has met its
court-ordered cap. Also, he said, the number of new bookings typically
slows during the holiday season.

The county still does not own the 56-acre parcel of farmland where
officials want to build the new North County Jail. Negotiations are
continuing with the landowner along Black Road near Santa Maria, and county
representatives have made a formal purchase offer that is being considered.

The first architectural drawings of the proposed jail and new Juvenile Hall
for that location will be ready in about two weeks. Last week, county
supervisors approved a $200,000 increase that doubled the architectural
contract. Thomas will take those drawings to his service club luncheons.

"They are critical to showing people what we want to build," he said.

A new 120-bed Juvenile Hall next to the new jail is part of the package.
The existing Santa Maria Juvenile Hall has 20 beds and is always full. A
new $1.48 million, 30-bed addition has just been completed and will open in
two weeks. But that will only partially alleviate chronic overcrowding,
said Deputy Probation Chief Dennis Shaughnessy.

"We still need the new 120-bed center," he said.