The Morning Report
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As we reported over the holidays, the Proposition 172 sales tax revenue collected in San Diego County is not spent on fire protection, despite a campaign pitch 12 years ago that the half-cent tax would be used to beef up firefighting efforts.
We surveyed several other large counties in the state, and found that many others are using the money to fund sheriffs, jails and prosecutors instead of firefighting as well.
Here is a sampling of how San Diego County matches up its allocation of Proposition 172 money by percentage, according to finance officials in each county:
The counties of Fresno, Los Angeles and Santa Clara funnel their Proposition 172 funds to a general public safety budget, from which allocations for specific departments are made.