(July 12, 2004) -- The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has taken to the internet to oppose a ballot measure backed by L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca that would hike L.A. County's sales tax by a half cent to 8.75%...and has asked constituents of L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe -- whose district includes LB -- to email Knabe, urging him not to provide the swing vote that could put the proposal on the November ballot.

We post salient text of the Howard Jarvis emailed alert below.

After a petition drive led by Sheriff Baca failed to garner enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot, Sheriff Baca asked the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to do so, which would require "yes" votes by four of five Supervisors.

"Supervisor Antonovich is opposed, but Don Knabe's vote is uncertain. By attending the board meeting and speaking against the tax, you can help derail it. It is also important -- especially if you are a 4th District resident -- to communicate with Supervisor Don Knabe directly," the Howard Jarvis group emailed...and included a clickable hyperlink to email Supervisor Knabe with opposition to the sales tax increase..

"Los Angeles is already at a competitive disadvantage with surrounding counties because of its already high sales tax. This increase would make a bad situation worse by discouraging business activity with the result that Los Angeles County could end up with less money," the Howard Jarvis group said, continuing:

LB City Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga and LBPD Chief Anthony Batts joined Sheriff Baca and officials from various City Halls in testifying in favor of the sales tax increase at the June 29 Board of Supervisors meeting. LBReport.com posted the testimony of Councilwoman Reyes Uranga and Chief Batts in full in our previous coverage. To view it, click here.

As previously reported by LBReport.com, in January 2004 the LB City Council voted 7-2 (Webb and Lerch dissenting) to endorse the sales tax increase. At that meeting, it also was disclosed during a Council colloquy that LB city management had provided input into drafting the measure so that the Countywide tax hike would send a roughly estimated $22 million to LB City Hall...if voters Countywide approve it by a 2/3 margin in November.

On June 29, Supervisors Yvonne Burke, Zev Yaroslavsky and Gloria Molina favored clarifying or amending some portions of the original measure's allocation formula, which will return to the Board on July 13.

Following June 29 testimony by numerous government officials and colloquy with Boardmembers, Board of Supervisors chair Don Knabe said:

"[I]f you were to make me vote today, I'll say "no" to the ballot because it's not simply a matter of putting this item on the ballot. The issue is how these dollars are going to be spent, the accountability, that it's an enhancement, that it's absolute enhancement of law enforcement and public safety services...So, before I stand out there in front of the voters and say, "This is a great deal, we're going to get more sheriffs on the street, we're going to be able to contain our jails," hey, it better not be going out the back door and that's the protection we need."

Supervisor Knabe later added, "It's simply just not a matter of putting something on the ballot, because there's two different votes. One, is there a vote to put it on the ballot and, two, is the vote to support it. They're not the same vote...Just because you vote to put it on the ballot, it doesn't mean I would support it..."

Also agendized for the July 13 Supervisors' meeting is an alternative proposal by Supervisor Antonovich to: