League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	San Diego County, CA November 4, 2008 Election
	Proposition L Vital City Services Measure City of La Mesa Majority Approval Required Pass: 13704 / 55.51% Yes votes ...... 10984 / 44.49% No votes See Also: Index of all Propositions

Arguments For Proposition L

Arguments Against Proposition L

Protect La Mesa's Safety - Vote YES on L. Cities throughout the San Diego area are getting tough with gangs. Proposition L allows recruiting and retaining police officers needed to keep gangs out of La Mesa and expand gang prevention programs. Since 1990, the State has taken over $16 Million in local revenues from La Mesa. Now the State faces multi-billion dollar deficits and continues to threaten taking additional funds from cities that will force La Mesa to cut essential services. PROTECT YOUR ESSENTIAL SERVICES - YES on L. Without Proposition L La Mesa will be forced to make cuts to all services, including police officers, firefighters and paramedics. YES on L ensures La Mesa can attract and retain quality firefighters and police officers. YES on L improves the City's ability to respond effectively to natural disasters. YES on L enhances security at trolley stations, preventing robberies, assaults and random crimes and robberies in our City. YES on L improves youth anti-drug and gang prevention programs, and maintains the senior center and other important community facilities. YES on L takes back LOCAL CONTROL - revenue will be required to stay in La Mesa for essential services including police, fire, 911 services, street repairs and parks. It cannot be taken by Sacramento politicians. YES on L is fiscally responsible and will EXPIRE IN 20 YEARS. It requires independent annual audits available for public review. Prescription medications and food purchased as groceries are exempt from Proposition L. YES on L protects your health and safety, preventing devastating cuts to services. VOTE LOCAL + find Proposition L on your ballot and VOTE YES. Proposition L will keep local funds in La Mesa to benefit La Mesa citizens for a safe community serving YOUR needs. VOTE YES ON L. HELEN GIVENS La Mesa Resident KELLEY WIEBOLDT La Mesa Business Owner ERIC DANNEL President, La Mesa Firefighters Association TIM COOK President, La Mesa Police Officers Association MILICA MAKARIC La Mesa Business Owner Rebuttal to Arguments For VOTE "NO ON L" TO STOP POLITICAL TRICKERY. Politicians and city administrators are trying to fool taxpayers. City Councilmembers put "L" on the ballot but now are afraid to sign their names -- so they use police and fire union leaders as "front men" to promote their 20- year tax plan. "L" does not designate one cent to fight gangs - not a penny for police, fire, or disasters. Prop L's general fund tax increase can be spent on anything the politicians want for 20 years. They spotlight "hot-button" police and fire items to pretend Prop L is a public safety tax. That is untrue - "L" Is just another general tax increase, pure and simple. "L" was created by political consultants to please public employee unions. The unions love "L", because it creates a bigger general fund to give unions everything they want. IF "L" WINS, POLITICIANS CAN USE THE MONEY HOWEVER THEY WANT. Nothing in "L" ensures that any of the money gets spent on safety services. It would be equally true to say that... "L" allows your taxes to be used for international airline trips and councilmember stays at resort hotels. "L" allows every city councilman and city bureaucrat to get deluxe new office furniture and a luxurious City Hall. "L" permits La Mesa to continue some of the most lavish union pensions in California. SAY "NO" TO DIRTY TRICKS ON TAXPAYERS. PLEASE VOTE "NO ON L." RICHARD RIDER San Diego Tax Fighters Chairman TONY KRVARIC Republican Party of San Diego County Chairman MICHAEL McDOWELL San Diego County Taxpayers Association Vice Chair MIKE HANSEN Grossmont Shopping Center General Manager KEVIN GEORGE La Mesa Resident/Business Owner

SHAME ON THE CITY COUNCIL FOR TRYING TO FOOL TAXPAYERS. Prop L pretends to be a tax primarily for fire and police protection. That is false; Prop L is a smokescreen. NOT ONE CENT in Prop L is earmarked for public safety. All Prop L money goes into the City General Fund so politicians and bureaucrats can spend it however they want. Prop L is disguised as more support for public safety. THE TRUE REASON FOR PROP L IS THAT BLOATED SALARIES AND BENEFITS NOW EAT UP APPROXIMATELY 75% OF EVERY GENERAL FUND DOLLAR. The City Council has failed to keep spending in line with revenues. Annually, they dip into the City's emergency reserve to pay current expenses. This is mostly because La Mesa has a Rolls Royce City employee pension plan. Employees don't contribute a penny to their guaranteed City pensions; you pay it all. PROP L GIVES LA MESA THE SECOND HIGHEST TAX RATE IN THE COUNTY. Remember, Prop L's tax hike is in addition to the proposed County fire tax, and any statewide sales tax hike. High taxes in La Mesa will add to the cost of gasoline. Prop L also hurts local stores, driving retail purchases away from La Mesa to cities that charge lower sales taxes. La Mesa city council and city administrators have already spent more than $100,000 of your tax dollars on political consultants, surveys and "informational mailers" to develop "poll tested" promises, inducing voters to support another tax increase. La Mesa voters shouldn't be bullied into higher taxes by politicians who prey on your genuine concerns for safety services and other vital needs. Please vote No on L to prevent higher taxes in La Mesa and to tell politicians that you resent efforts to fool you about how Prop L money will be spent. http://www.NoLaMesaSalesTax.org JOHN O'NEILL San Diego County Taxpayers Association Chairman JAY LaSUER Former Assemblyman/Councilmember THE HONORABLE JOEL ANDERSON California State Assemblyman BILL BABER La Mesa Homeowner/Taxpayer PETER CUTHBERT La Mesa Homeowner Rebuttal to Arguments Against Don't be misled by opponents! Save Our Public Safety Services + Vote YES on L. FACT: Measure L was placed on the ballot only after receiving input from almost 2000 residents who asked the City to protect essential services. FACT: La Mesa Police Officers and Firefighters are among the lowest paid in the County. We already have problems recruiting and retaining a skilled, well-trained police force. FACT: Without YES on L, 12 Police Officers, 9 Firefighters and 1 Fire Station will need to be cut. YES on L keeps firefighters and paramedics ready to respond to emergencies while maintaining rapid response times. YES on Lfights the sharp increase in robberies, auto thefts, burglaries and violent crime in La Mesa. YES on L recruits and retains the police officers we need to keep crime and gangs out of La Mesa. Many California cities have passed measures like YES on L to protect and maintain their local public safety and community services, and there has been no negative impact on local businesses. YES on L gives La Mesa residents LOCAL CONTROL over funding. Every cent is required to be spent in La Mesa to protect your safety and community services. NO funds can be taken by Sacramento to balance the State's budget deficit. YES on Lprotects your health and safety by preventing devastating cuts to services. VOTE LOCAL -- find Measure L on your ballot and vote YES. Join La Mesa Police Officers and Firefighters -- Vote YES on L. Visit http://www.protectlamesaservices.org for more information. ERIC DANELL, President La Mesa Firemen's Association TIM COOK, President La Mesa Police Officers' Association DAVID HARDENBURGER La Mesa Firemen's Association