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Council to ask voters whether to add 0.5% sales tax for public safety, ordinance introduced
Summary
City attorney presented an ordinance to put a half‑percent sales tax for public safety on the Nov. 4 ballot; the proposal was introduced as Bill 25‑063 for a first reading.
City Attorney James Lemon told the council on Aug. 5 that staff drafted an ordinance to submit a public safety sales tax proposition to voters in November.
The ordinance — introduced as Bill 25‑063 for a first reading — would place a one‑half‑percent sales tax on the Nov. 4, 2025 municipal ballot for voter approval. Lemon said the council had previously obtained legislative authority to pursue a public safety tax and that the ordinance would allow the city to ask voters whether to adopt the tax.
Why it matters: The proposed tax is a voter decision and, if approved, would dedicate additional sales tax revenue to public safety purposes. Council members discussed prior commitments tied to firefighter pay raises and next steps to coordinate with chiefs and unions about implementation.
There was no final vote on the measure at the Aug. 5 meeting; Lemon presented the ordinance for first reading and the council set it to follow for a future reading and action.
