Former mayoral rivals Schneider, Francisco in solidarity over new jail
A year ago they were rivals.
Today Mayor Helene Schneider and City Councilman Dale Francisco are political allies.
The unlikely duo is joining forces to back the effort to build a new $80 million jail in Santa Maria.
Schneider and Francisco have requested that City Administrator Jim Armstrong place a resolution on an August agenda in support of Measure S, which will appear on the November ballot. The full City Council will vote on whether to support the measure.
Measure S calls for a half-cent sales tax increase countywide to pay for a new jail and fund police and fire departments.
“Two council members with generally different philosophies on issues agree on this one and we want to show solidarity with the Sheriff in support of Measure S,” said Mayor Schneider.
Francisco agreed that building a new jail transcends philosophical differences.
“I know it is going to be a hard sell,” Francisco said. “But I think it is going to be a good thing. This is something that if you are going to pass it, you are going to have to show pretty broad support in the community for it.”
Schneider and Francisco squared off in a contentious mayoral race a year ago. Schneider leans to the left, Francisco to the right, but when it comes to building a new jail, they have found common ground in the middle.
The county jail off Calle Real between Santa Barbara and Goleta is chronically overcrowded and thousands of high-risk inmates are released every year simply because there is not enough space.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, the project’s biggest advocate, has successfully secured $56 million in state funding to pay for the 304-bed facility. The sales tax increase would pay the rest.
The sales tax is currently 8.75 percent.
The state’s 1 percent sales tax surcharge on the previous tax rate - 7.75 percent - however, is set to expire on July 1, 2011, the same day, that Measure S, if approved, would go into effect. Essentially, if the measure passes, the sales tax, with the half-cent increase, would settle at 8.25 percent.
“I have believed for a long time that we need a bigger jail and a North County jail is an obvious necessity,” Francisco said. “Unfortunately we do not have another way to finance it. This is a very tough thing to ask of people in times like this to have them pay more taxes for a jail. But a jail would have a huge improving affect on safety in SB county.”
Voters in 2000 rejected a similar measure to fund a new jail.
Jeremy Lindaman, the political consultant for the Committee for a Safer Santa Barbara County / Yes on Measure S 2010, as the half-cent sales tax increase is known, said building a new jail is a pressing community need.
"Measure S will address problems that have been plaguing Santa Barbara County for nearly 30 years,” Lindaman said. “Reducing recidivism, jail overcrowding, and crime, while bolstering front line fire and police services are issues that unite individuals and organizations from across the political spectrum.”
The tax would last for 14 years. It requires a two-thirds majority vote for approval.
Francisco said that he is backing the measure because he sees many public safety benefits down the road, particularly funding for recidivism programs.
“We have so many felons in prison that people who are up for anything less, we cannot do anything for them,” Francisco said. “That has bad repercussions every day and I see that all over the Santa Barbara.”
Comment on this article
: 7/22/2010
Is it true that third place finisher in the
mayors race Steve Cushman his sidekick Marcia Reid and The
Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce
staff are going to be the first inmates of the new jail?
Rebecca
Enough with the Lindaman : 7/22/2010
With Lindaman in charge of this campaign it will be sure to fail. He is a divider not a uniter. Sheriff Brown really made a bad call to hire Lindaman for this job.
Why not the winning team that pulled a rabbit out of a hat and got Measure A passed with a two-thirds majority for the transportation sales tax in 2008?
Lanny
: 7/22/2010
Looks like this campaign just ended before it even began
Lindeman? Lindeman?????? : 7/22/2010
"...a safer Santa Barbara" and Jeremy Lindeman in the same sentence.
What. a joke.
no way
: 7/22/2010
14 years??? I'd rather spend $500 on a gun than 14 years of sales tax (which would literally cost each and every one of us thousands). what a joke.
Worn out Taxpyers : 7/22/2010
Now comes the rub. If the "politically" correct had placed the Measure A ballot as it should have been, separate 1/4% for each (roads and alternatives) the majority of voters would have rejected the "mandatory" spending on alternative transportation. They would have approved a tax for roads and streets. This would have left a buffer of good will(?) to tap for the jail.
The taxpayers are sick and tired of long term taxing (Measure A is 30 years!). This is a jail project that is needed. I predict there is a good chance it will be rejected by the voters. It is the burned once syndrome. If it was solely for a jail it might have a better chance, but as all good "ear mark" politicians this has more items in it.
still tired
No. : 7/22/2010
How about we develop a 'tent city" jail as in Arizona? Why should taxpayers subsidize criminals with a state of the art prison? We have the best climate for out of doors living, just ask all the homeless who flock here...
What about . : 7/22/2010
Stopping pensions so we can fund this type of need through our current tax revenue.
taxpayer
new jail vote : 7/22/2010
To repeat, no new money for jails until victimless crimes such as marijuana possession are taken out of the mix.It is insane that during an period of economic hardship we are spending tens of thousands of dollars annually per inmate to incarcerate people who are doing little or no harm to society at large.
pooh bear
New Jail : 7/22/2010
I have a better idea. Build an Honor Farm out in New Cuyama out of barb wire and tents or used shipping containers. Let the non-violent work off their sentences in a grow your own food, work environment. As Hot as it is in the summer and cold in the winter coupled with a little hard work, they may impressed not to return.
Californio
: 7/22/2010
Yes on Measure S is also supported by the anti-tax payer types. Lanny Ebenstein and the Yes on Measure A friends are reuniting for this project.
The Real Lanny
Piling On : 7/22/2010
So, let me get this straight. The taxpayers are paying for somebody to advocate for the passage of this measure? I would be more supportive of this passing, if they hadn't tacked on additional funding for County Fire and Sheriff. Everyone needs to live within their means and this includes Public Safety. All of the departments have had to trim their budgets and cut back - including unpaid furloughs last year. Public safety did not participate in those cutbacks last year and the rest of the folks had to carry the burden on their behalf. Let's get real! I'd be very surprised if this measure gets 50% of the vote.
LeakingOil
Imaginary reuniting for this project : 7/23/2010
Yes on Measure A friends will be few and far between to support this boondoggle. And their Lindaman/Ebenstein team of political leadership will guarantee that.
---
A work farm tent camp in Cuyama Valley free of pot smokers and victimless criminals might earn 2/3rds voter support, but not this branch of the prison-industrial complex.
Time to go with Plan C.
Lanny
14 years : 7/23/2010
So what happens if
1) the State doesn't come through with the $56 million for the construction - does the sales tax that is supposed to run the jail go to build it - or does it just increase the budget for the Sheriff''s Dept?
2) What happens after 14 years if the voters don't renew the tax - where does the money to run the jail come from?
-- Sounds like this is going to be as big a boondoggle as the "New" LA jail - It got built, but no staffing to run it. -
Many of the people in our jail have mental health issues and/or substance abuse issues - we need treatment programs -- which are actually a lot less costly than a new jail - The tiny bit of money this measure is going to put toward "prevention" is just for PR to try to fool voters that they are actually doing something good.
No on S
: 7/23/2010
Maybe instead of spending all that money and construction effort on the new Emergency Management Center, a higher priority should have been a new jail. We're already taxed enough, figure it out without raising taxes.
CManSB
Paper Ballots Only : 7/23/2010
I wonder if her Dutchess in Mayor Schneider and Councilman Francisco can also agree that the public vote on this under paper ballots only. Nothing could be more vulgar than the electronic voting method. Even if a voter casts a paper ballot, it's still gauged against an electronic one.
Paper Ballots Only
"You can't tell me there aren't enough trees to make paper ballots."
soidarity is the name... : 7/24/2010
new taxes is the game...just ask "no-sale" dale and "haldol" Helene! thanks crackdown! i knew i could count on you for a laugh!
Boycott Boy
: 7/26/2010
I agree with LeakingOil -- the additional funding tacked on to this for County Fire and Sheriff operational cost are a non-starter. Everyone needs to live within their means and this includes Public Safety.
Temporary tax increase should only be for one time items -- which a new jail would fit into but should never be for operational cost ...
Just say no!
taxpayer
New Jail proposal unnecessary- You want to be like LA?? : 7/27/2010
To all tax payers:
Santa Barbara County does not need more taxes for a new jail! WHY? Simple we can rent one. LA has a brand new $74 Million dollar jail that is EMPTY because they can not afford to pay for the employees to staff it.
http://www.kcet.org/socal/voices/pixeltown/vod-las-expensive-new-jail-sits-empty-due-to-lack-of-funds.html
So I say we rent theirs as it will be a lot cheaper even factoring in bus transports.
If the Sheriff already has secured $50M+ to house prisoners I say we rent their facility as it certainly would be much cheaper than building our own and it might help LA stave off Bankrupcy for awhile . Besides our Sheriff and politicos only tell you about the cost to build the facility with the increase in sales tax rate. Ask then how they expect to staff the prision and how much more in funding they will need for all those County employees and life time Benefits. If we buikld this we might find ourselves in the same "unintended consequences" situtation as LA. Do you really want that?
Tax conscious voter
TO HELL WITH MEASURE S : 7/28/2010
This shows everything that is wrong with the CONSERVATIVES in power; they will gladly support a tax increase when it is in the name of supporting their Union buddies (eh hum POLICE & FIRE) or in the name of security and protecting us from ourselves.............which is AWFULLY similar to the philosophy employed by the LIBTARDS only for different causes.
Converted Conservative
P.S. : 7/28/2010
Dale Francisco is not a conservative...he is a tyrant just as bad as any of the LIBS on the Council and he grandstands as much as the rest of those idiots. Get off the pedestals and stop trying to control our lives Madam Mayor & City Council clowns. The marijuana dispensary debate was one of the most pathetic displays of ignorance I have ever seen. When the voters legalize marijuana entirely in November, this council will look really stupid for having tried to write such an overbearing ordinance only to see it get erased by the will of the people.
FED UP WITH OVERGOVERNMENT
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