Posted on June 7, 2019 at 3:35 PM by Elena Domingo
It was a quiet week for council which doesn’t meet on the first week of the month.
Everyone is focused on the coming Monday work session to discuss the Community Safety payroll tax. The proposed ordinance now contains amendments reflecting in particular the request by the Chamber of Commerce to require a public vote after seven years in order to re-authorize the tax. This would allow the public to review the outcomes in police responsiveness to calls, the financial impact on businesses, and the impact of investments in prevention and accountability, such as expanded community and municipal courts.
If council passes the tax as proposed, they will also have the opportunity to refer a charter amendment for voter approval to the November ballot to cap the payroll tax, thereby prohibiting any future increases; and also prohibiting the diversion of the tax to pay for any services other than community safety.
These amendments to the original proposal are intended to assure the public that the city will hold itself accountable to the voters on the performance of this investment in improving public safety.