Police Department
Reference: Resolution in Support of Public Safety Sales and Use Tax
To: Mayor Gregory Mills and Members of City Council
Through: Michael P. Martinez, City Manager
Prepared By: Matt Domenico, Chief of Police
Date Prepared: October 5, 2023
PURPOSE
To request the City Council to pass a resolution in support of ballot measure 3F, a proposed 0.15% Public Safety Sales and Use Tax ballot measure and urge a YES vote in the November 7th, 2023 election.
BACKGROUND
Providing high quality and effective public safety services is among the most important responsibilities the City of Brighton has. Ensuring the Brighton Police Department is appropriately staffed and equipped requires an ongoing investment of City resources, along with innovative solutions to provide funding when traditional funding mechanisms fall short.
The Police Department, City leadership, and City Council began discussing dedicated funding for the Police Department in February of 2023. These discussions included different options to generate funding, including a dedicated sales tax or property tax increase. Based on Council feedback, staff partnered with Magellan Strategies to gauge likely City of Brighton voter support for a non-expiring 0.15% sales tax increase. In August of 2023, the City Council approved placing this sales and use tax increase on the ballot in the November 2023 general election.
Approval of this ballot measure by voters in November would provide up to $2.75 million dollars of ongoing dedicated funding to the Police Department. Funding raised by this measure would be restricted to use by the Police Department to enhance public safety services. Funding for this measure cannot be used to supplant the existing Police Department budget, nor will it be used to offset planned funding or staffing models for the Police Department.
The intended use of funds collected through a dedicated, non-expiring 0.15% public safety sales and use tax increase would be primarily to fund new positions in the Police Department. Additional staff is required to provide the level of service the Brighton community needs and expects, and to keep pace with the rapid growth seen in recent years. Additional staff would increase the capacity of the Police Department to be proactive in its approach to addressing crime, traffic, public order, and quality of life concerns. Some of the new positions funded would include additional patrol and traffic officers, Task Force officers, and a neighborhood impact team that can be deployed to address pervasive crime issues in the community.
This ballot measure ensures the impact of this very modest tax increase, fifteen cents per one hundred dollars spent, is spread across residents and visitors to Brighton alike. Fifteen cents per one hundred dollars to increase the ability of the Brighton Police Department to hire more officers and fully equip them to better serve the community is a value far greater than the small economic impact of this small tax increase, making neighborhoods safer and reducing crime.
CRITERIA BY WHICH COUNCIL MUST CONSIDER THE ITEM
None
FINANCIAL IMPACT
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval of the attached resolution supporting ballot measure 3F, the Public Safety Tax, to provide revenues to fund public safety.
OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
1. Approve the attached resolution supporting ballot measure 3F and urge a YES vote in the November 7th, 2023 election
2. Deny the attached resolution supporting ballot measure 3F
ATTACHMENTS:
⮚ Resolution