No On Gov't Waste Committee Condemns Robocalls By Yes On B

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—In a decidedly negative and nasty turn in the campaign being waged on behalf of Measure B, the so-called "Safer Sex" initiative on the Los Angeles County ballot, the No on Government Waste Committee condemned a slew of robocall attack ads being unleashed by the Yes on B campaign this past weekend in response to an effective new television and radio campaign launched by the No on Measure B campaign that has swayed voters against the job-killing and tax-dollar-hungry measure. "Our recently-launched television and radio ads are having a significant impact in informing voters of what a colossal waste of taxpayer dollars Measure B is and the devastating impact it will have in chasing 10,000 entertainment industry production jobs out of the county," said James Lee, communications director for the No on Government Waste Committee. "In response, the Yes on B campaign and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) have launched a terribly cynical round of robocalls designed to scare voters into believing they and their families are all at risk from some sort of Larry Flynt boogeyman." The robocalls warn voters that adult film companies don’t care about voter health and implies broad-based support from state health organizations when in fact only two such organizations have endorsed Measure B—in comparison to virtually every newspaper in the county, almost every chamber of commerce and business organization, ethnic and minority community groups, healthcare service providers and major political parties, who have all urged a 'no' vote against Measure B, according to the No on Government Waste Committee. "The irony of AHF and Yes on B warning voters about who cares about their interests would humorous if it wasn’t so serious when you consider that AHF has already been cited by L.A. County auditors for overbilling taxpayers $1.7 million and is now foisting Measure B on taxpayers which is going to stick them with the bill to hire government inspectors to watch porn sets all day," Lee said. "Voters are going to see through this charade and recognize the enormous cost to them at a time when L.A. County is threatened by budget cuts because of the recession and state budget crisis." The No on Government Waste Committee launched its ad campaign with a new television ad describing the increased costs to taxpayers and potential for deep cuts in county services such as fire and police protection and public health services should Measure B pass. It also released companion radio ads aimed at refuting the Yes on B’s misinformation about infections in the adult film community. News media wishing to obtain a copy of the ad for use in coverage, can obtain downloads here. Measure B, placed on the ballot by—and almost entirely funded by—the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, would require the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to license and permit adult movie productions in the county, require performers to wear condoms and other "protective equipment" like rubber gloves, goggles, face shields, rubber "vagina protectors" (dental dams) and even hazmat suits, and create an unworkable system of on-set inspections and enforcement by county personnel. The county estimates initial start-up costs for the program to be in excess of $300,000, but acknowledges that regardless of the level of compliance by the adult film industry, there would be significant cost to the Department of Public Health. According to the California Department of Public Health, from June 30, 2008 to June 30, 2011, there were 6,447 new cases of HIV reported in Los Angeles County, but only two were adult performers, neither of whom contracted the disease on-set. Since 2004, there have been no documented cases of HIV transmission on an adult entertainment set. In fact, with the industry’s strict testing protocols, requiring testing at least every 14 and 28 days for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, adult performers are the most tested workforce in the nation. The No on Government Waste Committee is comprised of entertainment companies, local business organizations, community activists, adult entertainment performers and healthcare advocates who oppose Measure B’s plan for creating an underfunded government inspection program diverting badly needed resources from local community clinics and underserved minority communities. For more information, please click here.