City Council debates sales tax measure will launch poll of voters

May 06, 2016
Santa Paula News

“I don’t want to launch something that isn’t going to fly,” said Councilman John Procter at the conclusion of Monday’s marathon discussion on a proposed sales tax measure to boost public safety.

There has been a question if any such tax would also include funding for youth programs and Police Chief Steve McLean is an advocate for same.

“I am reluctant to support any tax measure that does not include funds for the youth,” McLean said Tuesday. “I’ve said it before and I will say it again…police cannot arrest our way out of any problem,” and the city must have programs to ensure youth “take the right path. Our youth has been minimized far too often and it has to stop. The youth in this community deserves better,” and preventative programs and decreasing crime, “go hand in hand…”

Monday the council considered a report noting options to generate sales tax revenue to boost fire and police services including as well as options for special or general taxes.

The report said City Manager Jaime Fontes “gives you the benefits and burdens of a special tax” that allows mandated spending but must garner 67 percent to pass.

That number was not attained in 2014 when voters gave a simple majority to a funding plan with a half-cent sales tax.

During public comment Richard Rudman — wearing a SPPD K-9 shirt — asked that the council “find the best way to take care of public safety…”

Various speakers addressed the council with some advocating a 50-50 police and fire split with others urging youth programs be allocated 30 percent.

Community Service Officer Martha Brown urged the council to consider public safety first and foremost.

She noted that the city had experienced “turbulent times” in 2013-2014 with nine homicides in 16 months and “some inner-city violence we don’t even know about.”

With more funding both police and fire could have a stronger presence and make time for positive youth interactions, which Brown said would have a strong effect that would naturally help deter crime.

Firefighter Nick Bacigalupo said the SPFD is “just a year away from losing a third of the department,” when the Federal Safer Grant sunsets that funds five firefighters, and less than 50 percent of a tax would not overcome a funding shortfall.

Fire Captain Jerry Byrum said the rise in fire calls is not “really attributable to the youth…it’s the age and the size of the community. The larger Santa Paula gets and the older Santa Paula gets the calls go up.”

The risk of fire for the city’s aging housing stock is also a factor said Byrum. 

Police Commander Ish Cordero said if the council did decide to exclude youth programs to consider any split of sales tax revenue per based on per capita staffing. 

“Police has 42 employees…consider the real needs of public safety,” and the SPPD, which responds to more than 25,000 calls a year. 

“I’m not a big fan of 50-50,” said Councilman Jim Tovias who noted officers respond to many fire calls. 

His son is a paramedic in Santa Diego County where a voter approved sales tax is 10 percent and the “money is well spent…you even see the results in their Downtown.”

He suggested a 1.25 percent sales tax to allow $500,000 for youth services. 

Councilwoman Ginger Gherardi urged the council to proceed cautiously: “Any action tonight is premature,” without more study and public input. 

The city has until July to make a decision, “there’s no real rush tonight…”

Mayor Martin Hernandez, who worked with Councilman John Procter on the sales tax proposal, said “This has been an issue for us for two years,” and he urged that the council move forward.

“We can do public hearings ad nauseam,” he added and now it’s time to nail down particulars such as amounts, sunset clauses and other mechanics of a sales tax measure.

The council he added is only asking for staff to bring the panel a draft to be discussed and refined but something must be done: “If something doesn’t happen by September 2017 we’re going to be in a hole,” with funding shortfalls resulting from Limoneira’s East Area 1 development.

Procter said he would like to see results of a poll conducted by the police and fire associations and hear more from the public, especially about asking them to decide on a general sales tax, which requires a simple majority.

One caveat is that a general sales tax cannot mandate spending: “I would like to hear from the public if they are comfortable with that…I know it would be political suicide if a future council would do something else,” with a voter approved sales tax, “but I can’t imagine that — they would be run out of town.”

There is “nothing wrong with preparing some language for this and then we’ll fill in the blanks…”

Gherardi agreed and asked that a poll also be sponsored by the city, which was agreed to by the council.





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