Citizens Group Declares War on Tax Hike, Backers : Politics: 200 attend meeting of Committees of Correspondence, which will coordinate campaign against Measure R.

By SHELBY GRAD

April 7, 1995 12 AM PT

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

ORANGE — Members of a vocal citizens’ watchdog group have vowed to launch a “grass-roots war” against the county’s proposed half-cent sales tax increase and warned elected officials that they could pay a heavy political price for supporting the measure.

About 200 people attended the Wednesday night meeting of the Committees of Correspondence, where speakers repeatedly denounced Measure R and urged voters to reject it at the polls June 27.

“We’re ready to fight this,” said Bill Mello, a Committees of Correspondence leader. “People are calling me. They want to pass out flyers, walk precincts and donate money. They are appalled that this tax is on the ballot. . . . They want to go to war.”

The group, which has emerged as a forceful critic of county government in the wake of the bankruptcy, formed a subcommittee called the “War Council” that will coordinate a campaign against Measure R.

The Committees of Correspondence has received a state political identification number and plans to seek donations. Mello said the group hopes to raise $100,000 to $200,000, though he stressed that the campaign will rely mostly on grass-roots support.

“We don’t need a lot of money,” Mello said. “We’ll have thousands of people going door-to-door.”

Despite polls that have found some support among residents for a tax increase to help the county out of its financial crisis, Committees of Correspondence member Bruce Whitaker predicted that voters will soundly reject Measure R.

“The general public is already taxed to the hilt,” he said.

Increasing the county’s sales tax from 7.75% to 8.25% was proposed last month by County Chief Executive Officer William J. Popejoy, who said the extra revenue is needed to avoid defaulting on bond payments due later this year.

The tax increase would generate an estimated $135 million annually and be in effect for 10 years. The county would use the revenue to back about $700 million in new borrowing.

All five members of the Board of Supervisors reluctantly agreed to place Measure R on the ballot, though some said they didn’t plan to campaign in favor of the measure.

Measure R has garnered little support among elected city officials, many of whom said the county hasn’t done enough to sell assets, privatize services and reduce costs.

“These city officials feel the pulse of the people,” Whitaker said Wednesday. “They know how the people feel about this.”

To help them focus all their efforts on defeating Measure R, Committees of Correspondence members decided Wednesday to delay their long-threatened recall effort against County Auditor-Controller Steve E. Lewis.

Committees members have criticized Lewis for what they view as his poor monitoring of the county’s investments. Popejoy asked Lewis to resign last month, but Lewis refused, saying he did nothing wrong.