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CITY OF DINUBA MEASURE F (Required to Pass: 2/3 of votes cast)
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE F IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS BY COUNTY COUNSEL
DINUBA POLICE, FIRE, EMERGENCY RESPONSE/9-1-1 SAFETY MEASURE. In order to hire, train and retain police/firefighters/paramedics/9-1-1 dispatchers; expand neighborhood/school policing and crime prevention efforts including more after-school, anti-gang and anti-drug programs; upgrade the 9-1-1 Emergency Response Center; and purchase fire engines/ambulances, shall the sales tax be increased by three-quarters of a cent with citizens oversight, guaranteed independent annual financial audits, 10-year reviews, and no money for administrators’ salaries?YES NO IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS BY CITY ATTORNEY MEASURE F Measure F proposes to raise revenue for police and fire protection by authorizing a ¾ cent sales tax within the City of Dinuba. The tax would be paid in addition to current State and local sales taxes and would be collected at the same time and in the same manner as the existing sales taxes. California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 7285.91 authorizes the City Council to levy a transactions and use tax (i.e. a "sales") tax for a special purpose (i.e., fire and police protection) at certain rates, including a 0.75 percent (i.e., a ¾ cent) rate if all of the following requirements are met: (a) The ordinance proposing that tax is approved by a two-thirds vote of all members of the governing body and is subsequently approved by a two-thirds vote of the qualified voters of the city voting in an election on the issue. (b) The transactions and use tax conforms to the Transactions and Use Tax Law Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251). (c) The ordinance includes an expenditure plan describing the specific projects for which the revenues from the tax may be expended. Measure F states that the ¾ cent sales tax would be used for "to hire, train and retain police/firefighters/paramedics/9-1-1 dispatchers; expand neighborhood/school policing and crime prevention efforts including more after-school, anti-gang and anti-drug programs; upgrade the 9-1-1 Emergency Response Center; and purchase fire engines/ambulances." The City is legally bound to use the funds for police and fire protection and there is a proposed ten-year Expenditure Plan. The Measure provides for a citizens oversight committee, independent annual audits and a ten-year review of the use of the funds.
Dated: 8/11/05 s/ Daniel T. McCloskey City Attorney City of Dinuba
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE F For Dinuba’s safety, vote YES on F. Consider the facts: Our population has grown by nearly a third, and Dinuba’s area has increased 28% in the last ten years. At the same time, the crime rate has increased while the number of police officers has stayed the same. Frequently, only two police officers are on duty and able to respond to your emergency calls. 9-1-1 fire and emergency medical calls have increased almost 50% in five years. Juvenile felonies/violent crimes have increased almost 100% in five years. YES on F improves Dinuba’s safety by hiring more police officers and firefighters to get to your family in an emergency.
YES on F: Expands anti-gang and drug prevention programs for kids. YES on F: Purchases up-to-date emergency rescue equipment such as the "jaws of life" to save lives. YES on F: Hires more firefighters who can get to you in an emergency. YES on F: Improves Dinuba’s 9-1-1 emergency response times. YES on F: Increases police patrols in our neighborhoods and around our schools. YES on F: Replaces outdated fire engines. YES on F: Increases the number of 9-1-1 dispatchers on duty, allowing rapid response to multiple emergency calls. YES on F: Ensures that people living outside of Dinuba, such as shoppers from nearby communities, will pay substantially to fund police and fire efforts for Dinuba. Measure F includes strong fiscal accountability requirements, such as annual, independent performance and financial audits and an independent Citizen’s Oversight Committee to ensure that all funds are spent as promised. By law, all Measure F funding must be deposited into a separate Police and Fire Trust Fund, and can only be used to improve safety. VOTE YES on F to protect our kids and put more police and firefighters on Dinuba’ streets. s/ Joe Rocha, President, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce s/ Yolanda Valdez, Principal, Dinuba High School s/ Dale Leppke, President, Dinuba Police Officers Association s/ Gary Medders, President Dinuba Firefighters Association s/ Jim Aiken, Pastor, Mennonite Brethren Church |