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• Proposition 28: Tobacco tax repeal seen as crime issue 

The Fight Crime: Invest in Kids child-advocacy group trotted out blue-suited law officers, a criminal-justice researcher and one of California's most famous crime victims during a news conference at the Sacramento Montessori school last week. Their message was simple: Repeal the tax and more squealing cherubs such as those playing blissfully behind them will grow up to become rapists, thieves and murderers.

Opponents of the repeal say the tobacco tax will fund badly needed social programs that will get children on the right path during the crucial early years of development. . . Cigarette-tax supporters are basing their case on evidence from academic studies that show low-income children who were enrolled in quality day-care programs or benefited from programs such as home visits by social workers were less likely to commit crimes or receive welfare benefits as adults. Peter W. Greenwood, a senior researcher for the Rand Corp. think tank in Southern California, said the extra money collected from smokers will pay off many-fold in the long run through reduced crime and welfare programs.

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