Councilwoman Price Calls April 17 Public Safety Committee Meeting (Price, Austin, Mungo) To Discuss "Alternate Funding Sources" for Public Safety And City Efforts To "Come Up With Innovative Ways To Address Public Safety Needs"
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(April 14, 2015, 9:10 a.m.) -- Councilwoman Suzie Price, appointed by Mayor Garcia to chair the Council's Public Safety Committee, has called an April 17 meeting of her committee (Price, Austin, Mungo) on April 17 (Council Chamber, 12:15 p.m.) Its agendized text is:
"To receive and file a report [discuss but take no action on] on the projected deficits in Fiscal Year 2016 and beyond, with alternate funding sources for public safety and efforts the City is undertaking to come up with innovative ways to address our public safety needs."
No backup material is available at present, however LBREPORT.com asked Committee chair Price (via email April 13) about the item:
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In a quick email exchange, Councilwoman Price told LBREPORT.com:
I did put the item on the agenda as the starting point for us to start considering public safety funding sources. With the projected $12 million dollar cut to police and fire budget, we need to start studying this issue and our options early. That is why the item is on this agenda. I envision this will be the start of a lengthy discussion leading up to the budgeting process. Whether the staff report or future discussion will include a discussion about tax increases or fees is unknown at this time. I imagine all options, solutions, and barriers will be discussed between now and the beginning of the budget process.
The $12 million "cut to police and fire budgets" to which Councilwoman Price refers is cumulative estimate by city management (in a March 3, 2015 Council "study session") spanning three years (FYs 16, 17 and 18) if a Council majority were to continue applying what former Mayor Foster called "proportionate reductions" to police, fire and other City Hall budget items. As with other General Fund budget items, a Council majority, not city management, decides what spending priorities to apply for taxpayers and what cuts to make.
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The chart below shows what city management estimates would be required if the Council applied "proportionate reductions" and made no other major changes, reflecting management's current estimate of City Hall spending that it expects will exceed anticipated revenue.
The item agendized by Councilwoman Price was agendized for her committee less than 72 hours after a 4th Council district election (April 14) in which issues include whether the prevailing candidate (Supernaw or Chico or Lindemann) will vote to put a tax increase (utility tax or possibly some other measure) on a city ballot; with a unanimous Council vote, a tax increase for specified purposes could be enacted with less than a Prop 13 2/3 vote of the people if a Council unanimously declares a "fiscal emergency." Ms. Chico hasn't ruled out putting a tax increase measure on the ballot; Mr. Supernaw opposes a tax increase.
Amnesia File: In 2008, Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske refused to provide a unanimous Council vote to declare an "emergency," infuriating Mayor Bob Foster who sought passage of a parcel property tax increase. The City Hall-proposed measure ultimately failed to receive the 2/3 majority required (received only 53% of the vote) despite $700,000+ spent to support the measure in the high turnout Nov. 2008 Presidential election.
LBREPORT.com plans to carry LIVE VIDEO of Friday's Public Safety Committee study session on Friday, April 17, at 12:15 p.m. on our front page: www.LBREPORT.com.
