Captains John Cregan (SRPD) and Scott Westrope (SRFD) Discuss Measure O Renewal
Our speakers for Thursday, June 2, 2022, were Chief Scott Westrope, Santa Rosa Fire Department, and Chief John Cregan, Santa Rosa Police Department. Their topic was the upcoming vote in 2025 regarding renewing Measure O, the 1/4 cent sales tax approved by the voters in November 2004. This measure will sunset in 2025 unless reauthorized by 2/3 of Santa Rosa voters.Measure O has provided dedicated funding for public safety and violence prevention programs. Authorized expenditures from Measure O funds include SRPD spending on patrol, traffic control, gang enforcement, school resource services, and bicycle patrol. SRFD can use Measure O funds for hiring firefighters and paramedics, the construction or relocation of fire stations, and purchasing specialized equipment. These funds are especially important to the SRFD when you consider the importance of emergency response personnel and equipment in key population centers so that 911 services can maintain emergency response time. The FD has also used these funds to rebuild and improve fire stations. SRPD has used Measure O funds to provide increased patrol services, respond to local emergencies, conduct enhanced traffic enforcement, and increased downtown police visibility. The PD also uses these funds for funding violence prevention partnerships with over 50 organizations that focus on strengthening youth and families and creating safe neighborhoods.
What happens if Measure O is not renewed? Public safety agencies will lose approximately $10 million in annual funding, resulting in lay-offs, closing down neighborhood fire stations, and much slower 911 response times. Many of the programs the agencies use for gang prevention and school resource services, will likely cease to exist or be far less effective. In other words, the loss of Measure O funds could be a public safety nightmare!
Thank you, Captains, for getting ahead of this problem. We appreciate your bringing us this important message. By the way, Captain Cregan spoke to us on March 24, 2022, and the summary of his presentation is in the bulletin for the following week. He's a repeat offender!
Click HERE to view a recording of the captain's presentation. It is avaiable for a limited time.
