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...
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