Merced Co sheriff appears in ad supporting tax measure

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Supporting higher taxes: a Valley sheriff is one of many faces behind the governor's tax plan in a new ad.

But opponents say taxpayers need to stand their ground

Governor Brown unveiled an online ad Monday pushing voters to approve his tax hike initiative.

Proposition 30 would raise the state sales tax and income taxes on California's highest earners.

The latest statewide field poll on Prop 30 showed voters favored it 54 percent to 38 percent, with 8 percent undecided.

Many in the law enforcement community say if Proposition 30 fails issues like early releases at the Fresno County Jail will continue at the same pace they're happening now.

Proponents hope their newly launched campaign will convince voters to approve the measure.

The new online ad lasts a minute and a half. Its slogan - "take a stand."

Members of the education and law enforcement community are featured, including Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin.

"This is the financial medicine that's necessary to get out of this current fiscal crisis," Pazin says in the ad.

Sheriff Pazin serves as President of the California State Sheriff's Association.

Back in April he says the group voted to support Proposition 30 fearing without it public safety will continue to deteriorate.

"We've had layoffs, each and every sheriff is getting pummeled because we've done some early releases because of realignment," Pazin said.

According to the governor, if approved the initiative would secure more funding for public agencies by raising California's sales tax by a quarter percent.

It would also create three new high-income tax-brackets for taxpayers with incomes exceeding $250, $300 and $500 thousand dollars.

"It's picking on the very people creating the jobs," Chris Mathys, President of the Valley Taxpayers' Association said.

Mathys says the passage of Prop 30 could entice large companies to take their business elsewhere.

As for law enforcement, he believes departments can restructure without impacting key services.

"It's about time that law enforcement does more with less. All these other government employees have to take cuts, but not the police," Mathys said.

The governor estimates Proposition 30 will bring in $9 billion in revenue. His online campaign will eventually progress into TV and radio ads.

Opponents of the initiative say they too will be just as aggressive with their campaign.

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merced county, taxes, jerry brown, politics, shannon handy

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