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Residents urge support for levy transfer to aid Riverview Gardens; privacy advocate warns against ALPR expansion
Summary
Public commenters addressed Proposition N — a 20¢ per $100 assessed-valuation transfer (not a tax increase) estimated to yield about $730,000 annually for Riverview Gardens School District — and separately urged the council to adopt strict limits or reject Automated License Plate Reader surveillance expansions due to privacy and misuse risks.
Two public commenters raised distinct community concerns during the public-comment period.
On Proposition N, a speaker explained the measure would transfer 20¢ per $100 of assessed valuation from the debt-service levy to the operating levy for Riverview Gardens School District and emphasized that the reallocation would not change the total tax rate. The speaker estimated the transfer could generate approximately $730,000 annually for the district and asked residents to support the measure.
A council member asked for clarification about the debt-service account after the transfer; Dr. May replied that the debt-service account would continue to collect the normal rate and that the 20¢ per $100 would direct a small portion to the operating fund.
Separately, another commenter urged the council to prioritize civil liberties before expanding local camera or ALPR (automated license-plate reader) systems. The commenter cited national examples of misuse and wrongful matches, raised concerns about data access and federal agency queries, and recommended strict limits on who can access the data, short retention periods, public transparency reports and independent audits. "Public safety and privacy are not mutually exclusive, but unchecked surveillance erodes trust," the commenter said, and urged warrant requirements and prohibitions on use for immigration enforcement or protected activities.
No council action on either topic was taken at the meeting; the comments were recorded for council consideration.
