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Smithville staff outline 'Proposition P' public-safety sales tax and education plan
Summary
City staff proposed a public-safety sales tax (proposition P) to fund officer pay, equipment and a full-time animal-control program, recommended an eight-week outreach plan and estimated ballot placement costs "a little over $10,000." Board heard statutory constraints including a 20-year sunset requirement.
City staff presented a recommended communications and outreach plan to support a proposed public-safety sales tax, labeled in messaging as Proposition P, and outlined intended uses and timing.
Gina summarized proposed uses: "enhancements to officer compensation to aid in recruitment and retention of officers," funding for necessary public-safety equipment and staff to support growth, and implementation of a full-time animal control program. Staff recommended public meetings, ward-level outreach by aldermen, an eight-week social media schedule, informational brochures, and a newsletter insert with utility billing to educate voters.
Staff said the Main Street committee and other partners will be involved in community outreach and recommended forming a committee with two staff representatives (including the chief) and four recent citizen-academy graduates. They estimated the current cost to place the question on the ballot at "a little over $10,000," noting the final figure depends on how many questions are certified for that ballot.
Aldermen pressed staff on statutory limits and messaging. Several members asked whether the tax could include a shorter sunset; staff and legal review (John Reddick was referenced) confirmed state statute language requires a 20-year sunset for this type of sales tax and that the tax must fund new expenditures rather than replace existing city funding.
Board members discussed using data tools such as Placer AI to estimate what share of sales tax receipts originate locally versus visitors, to shape campaign messaging about who bears the burden. Staff said other neighboring jurisdictions have pursued similar measures and that ballot language must be certified by the county clerk in January for an April ballot.
No formal vote was held; the board agreed to move forward with the outreach plan and staff will bring ballot language and a budget amendment to cover estimated outreach costs back to the board in January for formal consideration.
