Orange County

In Praise of Higher Taxes: Orange County Chief Executive William J. Popejoy, stumping in favor of the proposed half-cent sales tax to help revive the bankrupt county, will address an expected crowd of 600 business and professional executives at a luncheon Wednesday. The $20-a-plate event at the Sutton Place Hotel in Newport Beach also features Esmael Adibi, director of the Center for Economic Research at Chapman University. The two will talk about the financial impact of the bankruptcy on the county and its cities and the alternatives for dealing with the problems. Voters will decide on whether the tax hike is a solution in a June 27 election. It would add 50 cents to every $100 of goods and services bought in the county and raise the overall tax rate to 8.25%--the same as in Los Angeles County.