Republic, Brookline voters pass ballot initiatives

Proposition S and Proposition 1 will increase funding for emergency services
 
Voters in Republic and Brookline approved two initiatives designed to increase funding for emergency services in their communities on Tuesday, Aug. 3. Republic voter passed Proposition S, which authorized a 3/4-cent sales tax to provide additional funding to the city’s police and fire departments, while Brookline voters passed Proposition 1, which allowed the Brookline Fire Protection District’s (FPD) Board of Directors to levy an additional personal property tax of up to $.50 per $100 of assessed for the purposes of increasing the fire protection district’s budget.
Proposition S
Proposition S was put on the ballot by the Republic City Council as a way to increase funding for the city’s police and fire departments. According to information from the city’s website, the sales tax was necessary so the city could hire more police officers and firefighters to keep up with the city’s increasing population. The tax is expected to raise over $2.1-million in its first year, and the funds will be used to hire 12 additional police officers and 14 more firefighters. The city also plans to increase pay and the retirement benefits for both departments as a way of recruiting high-quality personnel. Republic Fire Chief Duane Compton expressed his appreciation at the passing of Proposition S.
“I would like to thank the voters of Republic for supporting the Public Safety measure,” he said.
Brian Sells, chief of the Republic Police Department, said that with the passage of Proposition S, the police would be able to better serve the public. “Republic is a fast-growing community, and the passage of Proposition S will allow us to facilitate the growth on the public safety side,” he said. “Since we consolidated with Brookline, we doubled our geographic size, but never added additional staff. As you can imagine, you are now responsible for patrolling more square miles, but with no extra staff. With Proposition S, we will be able to hire 12 additional police staff, and the fire department will hire 14. By adding additional staff, both departments will be able to provide better services and coverage for our community. I am extremely grateful for the publics support and the trust our citizens show our police department.”
At the polls, 865 people, or almost 72-percent of the voters who turned out, voted for Proposition S, while 343, about 28-percent, voted against it.
Proposition 1
While Republic voters were deciding the fate of Proposition S, Brookline residents went to the polls to vote on Proposition 1. The Brookline FPD’s Board of Directors put the initiative on the ballot as way to increase funding for the fire protection district. According to an advertisement encouraging voters to pass the initiative, the district was operating at a 16-percent deficit with a budget about one-third of that of fire protection districts of similar size.
In the same advertisement, the FPD stated the funds raised from the tax levy would be used to hire full-time staff, enhance the firefighters’ skills with additional training and replace damaged and outdated equipment.
The advertisement said the levy would also help the FPD to better handle an increasing volume of calls for service.
In a posting on the FPD’s Facebook page, Jamie Kilburn, chief of the Brookline FPD, thanked the residents who voted for Proposition 1 and promised the FPD would soon begin hiring full-time personnel.
“You will see continued emphasis on recruitment and training for our fantastic volunteer firefighters,” he said. “These people are an immeasurable valued resource to our community. And, as promised, we will continue to prepare for the next step of hiring full-time firefighters.” Kilburn also told the voters to “stay tuned for progress reports.”
In Brookline, 165 people, or about 58-percent of the voters, voted in favor of the measure, while 119 people, or about 42-percent, were opposed.
Also passing in Walnut Grove, another ballot measure, Proposition W.G., also passed. Proposition W.G. authorized an increase in the city’s operating tax levy of $.79 per $100 of assessed valuation to upgrade the Walnut Grove R-V School District’s facilities.
During the election, 251 people voted for the levy, while 190 voted against it.
Altogether, 1,933 people voted in the Aug. 3 election out of a total of 17,553 eligible voters; a turnout of 11.01-percent.