Hemet can’t wait for Measure U

Hemet’s police and fire departments won’t have to wait for Measure U, the one percent sale tax increase city voters approved Nov. 8, to start generating revenue so they can make much-needed upgrades to their respective departments.

The city has agreed to take money from its reserve fund – about $2.2 million – so both departments can begin making hires and other upgrades revenue from Measure U ultimately will pay for, the heads of both departments said.

“It shows how strong the need is for both departments to upgrade, but it also shows the community’s commitment to getting these things done,” Fire Chief Scott Brown said. “There was never a question that these things were going to get done as quickly as possible.”

Which is why the city council voted unanimously this month to dip into the city’s reserve fund, which is generally used to pay for emergencies: Measure U is part of the 2016-’17 fiscal year, which starts July 1, and it won’t start generating revenue until this summer at the earliest.

The funds taken from the reserve fund will eventually be replaced with revenue generated by Measure U.

“It’s no different than a lot of other things in the budget process,” Brown said.

Brown and Police Chief Dave Brown have both said they plan to make multiple hires – three fire captains and approximately 40 police officers, respectively – with their reserve fund/Measure U revenue, which is available immediately.

“We have a lot of work to do, that’s for sure,” Dave Brown said. “I always said, when we actually got the money, that’s when the real work would start.”