TO: Members of the City Council
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CONTACT(S):
|
Police |
Darrell Lowe, Police Chief |
425-556-2529 |
|
Fire |
Adrian Sheppard, Fire Chief |
425-556-2201 |
|
Finance |
Chip Corder, Finance Director |
425-556-2189 |
|
Executive |
Malisa Files, Chief Operating Officer |
425-556-2166 |
TITLE:
title
Adoption of a Resolution for the Comprehensive Public Safety Ballot Measure
1. Resolution No. 1560: A Resolution of the City Council of the City Of Redmond, Washington, Providing for the Submission to the Qualified Electors of the City at the November 8, 2022 Election of a Proposition Authorizing an Increase in the Regular Property Tax Levy in Excess of the Increase Otherwise Allowed Under Chapter 84.55 RCW for Public Safety Purposes; Providing for an Increase of $0.366 Per $1,000 of Assessed Valuation for a Total Levy Rate of $1.36 Per $1,000 of Assessed Valuation to be Collected in 2023; Providing for Increases in the Annual Levy Amount to be Collected in Each of the Five Succeeding Calendar Years (2024-2028) Equal to Five Percent (5%); Providing that the Dollar Amount of the 2028 Levy be Used to Compute the Maximum Levy Amount that May be Imposed and Collected in Years After 2028; Requesting that the Director of King County Elections Place the Proposition on the November 8, 2022 Election, and Fixing the Time when the Same Shall Become Effective
OVERVIEW STATEMENT:
recommendation
The purpose of the Comprehensive Public Safety Funding Plan is to continue to build a comprehensive public safety system and enhance Redmond’s public safety programs while responding to the impacts of growth on the City’s public safety services. Council approval of the resolution (see Attachment A) will allow the City to put forward, for voter approval, the proposed public safety programs at the general election on November 8, 2022.
body
☒ Additional Background Information/Description of Proposal Attached
REQUESTED ACTION:
☐ Receive Information ☐ Provide Direction ☒ Approve
REQUEST RATIONALE:
• Relevant Plans/Policies:
Community Strategic Plan, Fire and Police Functional Plans and the Comprehensive Plan.
• Required:
The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 84.55 outlines the steps that need to be taken in order to propose a property tax levy in excess of property tax limitations
• Council Request:
N/A
• Other Key Facts:
The need for a future investment in the public safety services funded by the 2007 was discussed during the 2021-2022 budget deliberations as expenditures continue to outpace revenues. In addition, the Public Safety Initiative in the Community Strategic Plan calls for increased support for mobile integrated health and mental health professionals to augment traditional police and fire services and to build out a comprehensive public safety system that will meet future City needs.
OUTCOMES:
If approved, the Public Safety Funding Plan will support traditional and innovative safety approaches, including:
• Hiring additional personnel to increase mental and behavioral health services, crisis response and resources to support special need community members.
• Enhancing mobile health services through the Fire Department.
• Expanding fire personnel to increase fire suppression capabilities within Redmond.
• Adding police personnel to support rapid response to a growing and changing community.
• Reinvesting in the fire and police personnel supported by the 2007 property tax levy lid lift.
The ballot measure proposes to raise property taxes by $0.366 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to a total amount of $1.36 per $1,000 of assessed valuation plus an annual increase of 5% in the five succeeding years (2024-2028).
The City must prepare a ballot question (included in the Resolution in Attachment A) and an explanatory statement (Attachment B) to be placed in the King County voter’s pamphlet. Additionally, Redmond has recruited community members to serve on the Pro and Con Committees for the measure. The press release for committee recruitment went out on June 1, 2022 with a deadline of June 17, 2022. Currently, there are community members signed up for both committees. These committees will prepare statements either for or against the measure and rebuttals that will be placed in the voter’s pamphlet.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH AND INVOLVEMENT:
• Timeline (previous or planned):
Public Safety Sounding Board - January through May 2022
Public Safety Survey - February 2022
Community meeting - April 4, 2022
Let’sConnect Questionnaire - March through April 2022
Meetings with community groups and boards and commissions - April - July 2022
• Outreach Methods and Results:
The results of the outreach methods were discussed at the Study Session on May 10, 2022. The presentations from the City’s Public Safety Sounding Board can be found online (https://www.letsconnectredmond.com/Safety). Also, included as attachments are the top line results for the Public Safety Community Survey and the Let’sConnect questionnaire.
Should Council move forward toward a ballot measure, staff will provide talking points that Councilmembers can use to speak to constituents.
• Feedback Summary:
Priorities we have heard from the community include:
• Invest in public safety to keep pace with the growth in Redmond
• Invest in mental health and mobile integrated health as alternatives to traditional police and fire services
• Overall support for the City’s police and fire services and a potential public safety funding plan.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Total Cost:
The total revenue anticipated from the potential property tax levy lid lift is $10.4 million annually. The total amount equates to a 2023 property tax increase of $0.366 increase per $1,000 of assessed valuation on a median priced home of $1 million or $366 per year.
Approved in current biennial budget: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☒ N/A
Budget Offer Number:
N/A
Budget Priority:
Safe and Resilient
Other budget impacts or additional costs: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☒ N/A
If yes, explain:
N/A
Funding source(s):
Property Tax Levy Lid Lift
Budget/Funding Constraints:
N/A
☐ Additional budget details attached
COUNCIL REVIEW:
Previous Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
2/22/2022 |
Committee of the Whole - Public Safety and Human Services |
Receive Information |
|
3/15/2022 |
Committee of the Whole - Public Safety and Human Services |
Receive Information |
|
4/19/2022 |
Committee of the Whole - Public Safety and Human Services |
Receive Information |
|
5/10/2022 |
Study Session |
Receive Information |
|
6/28/2022 |
Study Session |
Provide Direction |
|
7/12/2022 |
Study Session |
Provide Direction |
Proposed Upcoming Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
7/19/2022 |
Business Meeting |
Approve |
Time Constraints:
A resolution placing the Public Safety Funding Plan on the ballot for the November 8, 2022, election must be approved by Council by July 19, 2022, so that all documents can be transmitted to King County by 4:30 pm on August 2, 2022.
ANTICIPATED RESULT IF NOT APPROVED:
If not approved, the Public Safety Funding Plan would not be placed on the ballot in November. A part of the funding plan is to reinvest in the services supported by the 2007 levy lid lift. Since the expenditures for those services is exceeding revenues, the City would need to absorb additional costs into the General Fund or make reductions to fire and police services. Additionally, there would be no increases in police and fire services including the non-traditional services of mobile integrated health and mental health professionals.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Ballot Resolution
Attachment B: Explanatory Statement
Attachment C: Question and Answer Matrix
Attachment D: Presentation From June 28, 2022 Study Session
Attachment E: Public Safety Survey Topline Results
Attachment F: Let’sConnect Questionnaire Summary