Henderson residents may vote for added cop tax

Greg Harman

Friday, June 2, 2000 | 11:14 a.m.

When Henderson residents vote in November they may be asked to approve or reject a special 24-cent public safety tax that could add another 166 police officers to the force over seven years.

The proposal would increase the current 23-cent public safety tax approved in 1988 to 47 cents per $100 property valuation. But, as required by state law, the increase would expire in 30 years.

City Manager Phil Speight said it became clear during recent budget discussions with police and fire department heads that the city could not provide the requested increase in personnel and supplies without generating additional revenue.

The attraction of a special tax earmarked for public safety, as opposed to raising the general city tax rate, is the ability to keep better track of the money, Speight said.

"It allows us to express to voters exactly what they're going to get for their tax dollars," he said.

The 1988 public safety tax was instituted to add 18 full-time police officers as well as 18 paramedics and firefighters to the city ranks.

According to the resolution to be considered by the council on Tuesday, this year's proposed tax would result in 237 new public safety employees within seven years. That number would include 166 police officers, 30 firefighters and paramedics and 41 support staff.

For the owner of a home valued at $100,000, the 24-cent tax would mean an additional $84 per year in property tax.

Public safety has made up almost half of the city's budget for years, but the city is still far below the national average of 2.5 police officers per 1,000 residents, Capt. Richard Perkins said.

"Actually this will only allow us to catch up with the workload we have now," Perkins said. "We are at or under one officer per 1,000 persons ... This (tax) will only put us at 1.5."

During fiscal year 1999 the city spent $46.2 million of $92.6 million in general fund expenditures on police, fire services and building inspection. This year that amount increased to $52.4 million out of $109.2 million. Next year's budget, approved last month, will spend $54.5 million out of $117.5 million in city expenditures on public safety.

The revenue generated by the proposed 30-year tax would be divided into two piles: 95 percent being used for the hiring, training and equipping of new police officers, firefighters, paramedics and support staff. The remaining 5 percent will be used to improve, build and equip emergency stations.