Taxpayer Groups Demand That Rob Reiner Stop All Taxpayer-Funded First 5 Preschool Ads

Taxpayer Groups Demand That Rob Reiner Stop All Taxpayer-Funded First 5 Preschool Ads

Ads Represent Troubling Misuse of Taxpayer Funds to Support a Political Ballot Initiative

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Taxpayer groups today demanded that the taxpayer-funded First 5 ads currently airing statewide on radio, TV and in major newspapers be pulled immediately now that Rob Reiner's universal preschool initiative has qualified for the June 2006 ballot.

It is illegal to use taxpayer funds to support political campaigns and ballot initiatives. The $18 million dollar ad campaign airing now and paid for with taxpayer dollars emphasizes the purported benefits of preschool. Rob Reiner's initiative would raise taxes to pay for a state-run universal preschool bureaucracy for four-year olds in California.

"Rob Reiner should do the right thing and pull the ads immediately," said Larry McCarthy, president of the California Taxpayers' Association. "He's the chair of the initiative campaign and he's the chair of the First 5 Commission. One call from him and the ads are gone. He needs to step in to prevent even the whiff of political impropriety."

"I think most people would see this as a black and white issue, there's not much grey here," said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. "It was bad enough the ads were on the air while they were in the process of qualifying the initiative. But if they stay on the air, it's a very troubling and inappropriate cross over between First 5's public education effort and Reiner's political campaign."

Source: California Taxpayer's Association; Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association

CONTACT: Larry McCarthy of Cal-Tax, +1-916-441-1619; or Jon Coupal of
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, +1-916-444-9950

-------
Profile: intent