City still wants public safety tax

Hemet hasn’t given up on passing a tax that would boost public safety.

The city council Tuesday instructed the city attorney’s office to prepare a measure for the Nov. 8 ballot that would create a general tax to pay for more police and firefighters, Councilwoman Linda Krupa said.

Last month, voters rejected Measure E, a one percent sales tax that would have beefed up personnel in both departments.

This time, the city is proposing a general tax for the same purpose.

Because a general tax can’t be earmarked for a specific purpose, a separate measure will have to be placed on the ballot that says the proposed tax is meant to pay for more police officers and firefighters. It would also pay for more programs within both departments.

Measure E got 63.1 percent of the vote, but because it was a special tax it needed 66 percent of the votes cast plus one to pass. A general tax requires a simple majority, and Krupa believes that’s a reachable goal, “I would prefer a special tax to a general tax, but I know what we’re up against and I think our citizens do too,” Krupa said. “We simply don’t have enough money to pay for all of the police and fire protection that we need. But I think there are a lot of people in our community who are willing to pay for that.”

The support for Measure E indicates that a general tax would have a good chance of passing, Fire Chief Scott Brown said.

“Sixty three percent of the voters spoke loud and clear in favor of more police and fire protection,” Brown said. “Unfortunately we needed 66 percent, and that was setting the bar pretty high. But we still feel confident the community understands what is needed.”

Four of the five council members must vote to put the measure on the ballot if it’s to go before voters, Krupa said.

The council is expected to discuss the matter further at its July 26 meeting. A final vote is expected Aug. 9, three days before the deadline to get any measure on the November ballot.