Jerry Camous, president of the Association, says public money should not be going to the arena when safety organizations like the fire, police and sheriff’s departments are understaffed:

The police department alone is at 80 percent staffed, yet we’re entertaining a quarter percent sales tax to fund an arena that will benefit a private venture.
 
Camous says the Police Officers Association will likely team up with a coalition of public safety groups to fight the tax and arena measures.
Supporters of the measures say the arena will bring additional revenue to Sacramento and revitalize the downtown area.