Supes fail the people

For the second time in less than a month, the Butte County Board of Supervisors has failed its constituents by not voting to put on the November ballot a half-cent sales tax increase to preserve public-safety levels damaged by state funding raids. Richvale’s Curt Josiassen and Paradise’s Kim Yamaguchi once again provided the stumbling block by saying no to allowing the citizens of Butte the choice of taxing themselves to maintain minimal police and fire protection.

Yamaguchi, probably for the first time in his political life, championed the poor people of his district, saying they could not afford the modest increase in sales tax. And Josiassen revealed he may have plans for higher office. He does not want on his record any indication that he ever voted to increase taxes or even allowed his own constituents to decide. When all was said and done, he, not the voters, would be held responsible for the sales tax hike, he bellowed to his fellow supervisors. There’s nothing like a little selfish cowardice to make your case.

Now the heads of the departments who need the revenue are planning to bypass the supervisors and take their case directly to the people via a ballot initiative. And they will be able to secure the 6,000 votes needed to force a special election in March that will cost the county nearly a quarter of a million dollars. Gaining the required two-thirds vote to approve the hike is unlikely. But at least the people who would bear the brunt will be asked to decide.

Yamaguchi and Josiassen, the supervisors who a few years ago forced the ballot measure over a harebrained redistricting plan, have done it again. Remember that next time they run for office.