The Hertzberg-Polanco Crime Laboratories Construction Bond Act of 1999.
	Rebuttal to Argument in Favor of Proposition 15

Arguments on this page are the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency.

Bond supporters always say that the measure will not increase taxes. How then will the bonds be paid? Taxpayers must pay the principal and interest on the bonds for 30 years. This money comes from our tax dollars. Taxpayers are currently paying over $3 billion per year on existing bond debt.

Of course our police departments should have access to the newest, state-of-the-art facilities to run tests. Too often we see news reports that crime labs take weeks to produce results. But is spending $395 million of the taxpayers money over 30 years the best way to accomplish this?

We believe that the private sector can better help police departments with these vital services. Even now there are numerous private companies performing the same laboratory tests. Unlike government agencies, private companies have a motive to perform. And if they want more business, they will do their work accurately, quickly and inexpensively.

Proposition 15 is bureaucracy in action. The government has the tedious steps to put this measure on the ballot, plan several months of campaigning for it and then wait while the bonds are sold and the proceeds slowly work their way into various communities. Instead, legislators could have urged local police departments to hammer out contracts with private firms to immediately start providing high-tech services.

Indeed, Proposition 15 could delay lab analysts from coming up with results our police investigators need, while the wheels of the bond process slowly grind. Please vote NO.

GAIL K. LIGHTFOOT
Past Chair, Libertarian Party of California

THOMAS TRYON
Calaveras County Supervisor

TED BROWN
Insurance Adjuster/Investigator

Proposition 15 | Vote 2000 Home | Next - Prop 16 | Secretary of State Home |