After a public hearing July 14, 2014, the City Council adopted on first reading an ordinance that amends the City Charter with a permanent Public Safety Levy to give Police, Fire and the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center sufficient funds to meet growing community needs over the next decade. Approval of the ordinance at a second reading is required.  The ordinance then will become effective in 30 days.

If the ordinance is approved on second reading, the Council also must approve a resolution referring the ordinance to the November 4, 2014, ballot and setting the language for the ballot.

The City Council may:

• Approve the ordinance on second reading and approve the resolution setting the ballot language;
• Approve the ordinance on second reading and amend the resolution setting the ballot language; or
• Approve neither the ordinance nor the resolution, which would have the effect of removing the levy from the November 4, 2014 ballot.

The levy would begin in Fiscal Year 2016 (tax year 2015) at 12.00 mills and produce approximately $2 million.  In Fiscal Year 2025, (tax year 2014), the levy would be up to 125 mills, which would produce approximately $22.8 million.  The Fiscal Year 2025 levy would continue indefinitely.  General Fund reserves would be spent down to the recommended level by the end of Fiscal Year 2018.

The maximum mills which the Council could levy and the estimated results of those mills are as follows:

2015/2016      12.00 mills, approximately $ 2,000,000
2016/2017      15.00 mills, approximately $ 2,500,000
2017/2018      24.00 mills, approximately $ 4,000,000
2018/2019      46.00 mills, approximately $ 7,900,000
2019/2020      65.00 mills, approximately $11,200,000
2020/2021      77.00 mills, approximately $13,400,000
2021/2022      88.00 mills, approximately $15,600,000
2022/2023    101.00 mills, approximately $18,000,000
2023/2024    112.00 mills, approximately $20,200,000
2024/2025    125.00 mills, approximately $22,800,000


 

Staff recommends that the Council

1. Approve the attached ordinance on second reading and;
2. Approve the attached resolution that refers the ordinance to the November 4, 2014, election and sets the ballot language.