>> SACRAMENTO (AP) Gov. Pete Wilson on
>> Monday asked California sheriffs to help
>> pressure the Legislature to keep a budget
>> initiative that steered an extra $100
>> million toward law enforcement efforts this
>> fiscal year.
>>
>> Wilson's ``Citizens Options for Public
>> Safety'' program, part of the fiscal 1997
>> budget, distributed $75 million to local
>> police departments on a per capita basis,
>> $12.5 million to county district attorneys
>> and $12.5 million to county sheriff's
>> departments.
>>
>> Wilson's $66.6 billion budget proposal for
>> fiscal 1998 would continue the program at
>> the $100 million level.
>>
>> It was a struggle to convince lawmakers to
>> approve the program last year, Wilson said.
>>
>> ``For us, it seems a nobrainer,'' he said.
>> ``But it was not easy to persuade the
>> Legislature that, in fact, it was important
>> that it was a competing claim that
>> should make the cut.''
>>
>> A similar effort will be required this
>> year, he said.
>>
>> ``You and I both know there are some people
>> in the Legislature who will listen to you
>> and will be persuaded by you. There are
>> some others who will not,'' he said.
>> ``Those who will not have just the same
>> vote, and we've got to get that vote.''
>>
>> In addition to direct lobbying, Wilson
>> suggested sheriffs urge their local
>> newspapers and broadcasters to editorialize
>> in favor of the COPS program.
>>
>> ``Let's make certain that there is no one
>> in the Legislature who can pretend that
>> they didn't get the information, that they
>> don't thoroughly understand what is at
>> stake,'' he said.
>>
>> Budget talks between Wilson and legislative
>> leaders normally begin after the ``May
>> revise,'' when the governor submits an
>> updated budget proposal based on the latest
>> revenue projections from the Department of
>> Finance.
>>
>> Ron Gray, a spokesman for Assembly Speaker
>> Cruz Bustamante, DFresno, said the speaker
>> was not committing yet to any specific
>> program, but was generally in favor of
>> increased funding for law enforcement.
>>
>> In particular, Gray said, Bustamante would
>> like to see increased funding for programs
>> designed to reform juvenile offenders
>> before they begin committing more serious
>> crimes.
>>
>> Published Tuesday, March 25, 1997, in the
>> San Jose Mercury News
>>
>>