Measure S
by Lorine Parks
If you want to maintain the high quality of living in Downey, then vote yes on November 8 for Measure S.
That’s the considered opinion of City Manager Gil Livas, who came to explain the reasons behind Measure S to his fellow Rotarians.
“Measure S” will add a sales tax of one half of a cent to all purchases made in the City of Downey. Food and medicine would be exempt from the tax.
The resulting revenue of $9 million yearly would go directly to Downey, never to Sacramento, and would be used for public safety (Downey’s own Fire and Police Departments); parks; youth and senior activities; and street and sidewalk repairs.
What would this mean to you? It would add FIFTY CENTS on top of every $100 you spend; $5 for every thousand.
Why do we need this? Because, during the recent Recession, the state of California cut back severely on the tax revenue it gives to the city of Downey.
“Why don’t you do your own cutbacks, and save us money,” Gil is asked. The answer is, the City did make cutbacks, in the number of police on the street, for example. But because this is essentially a well-run city, there isn’t any
“fat” to cut.
What specifically do people mean when they move here for “quality of life?”
One way to measure that is our public safety record. Police calls get answered here faster than they do in the surrounding cities, in 4 minutes and 8 seconds, compared to 5 minutes and 32 seconds for the State average. Fire Department response here is in 4 minutes and 14 seconds; 5 minutes outside. In an emergency, as anyone who has lived through one knows, seconds count.
One way to measure that is our public safety record. Police calls get answered here faster than they do in the surrounding cities, in 4 minutes and 8 seconds, compared to 5 minutes and 32 seconds for the State average. Fire Department response here is in 4 minutes and 14 seconds; 5 minutes outside. In an emergency, as anyone who has lived through one knows, seconds count.
How reliable are the estimates of need by our City staffers? Downey is a fiscally responsible city and we have won numerous awards of Excellence in Budgeting.
Public safety is the city’s number one priority. Last year, there were 1339 Fire Incidents, and 8372 Medical incidents, both of which are handled by our Downey Fire Department. There were 140,690 calls to the Police Department. One new way of keeping police calls down was pictured on the screen, patrol members mounted on bicycles, the better to survey our Parks. We have 111 sworn officers; at one time we had as many as 140.
How will the measure work? The City will received 5 cents on every $100 spent here. And the tax base is wider than just Downeyites, because many of those who shop in Downey do not live here. They can help by contributing tax dollars, because while they are in the city, they benefit from our vigilance.
Purchases of food and medicine, Gil stressed again, are exempted from
being taxed.
What will the Measure do? It will help maintain the vehicles of the Fire, Police and Public Works Departments. More programs for youth and seniors; keep up the repair schedule for streets and sidewalks.
The funds stay in Downey; they cannot be used by Sacramento. And the Measure expires in 20 years.
How do we know the money will be used wisely? There will be a Citizen’s Oversight committee, to watch the spending.