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Council votes to put crime-control sales-tax reallocation on May ballot after public concern
Summary
By a 6–1 vote, the council approved placing a measure on the May ballot that would reallocate half of the city's RDC sales-tax allocation (0.25%) to a proposed Crime Control & Prevention District to fund public-safety programs. Residents raised concerns about lost RDC infrastructure funding; council said the final budget implications will be determined during upcoming budget discussions.
Danielle presented Ordinance 2026-06 proposing creation of a Crime Control & Prevention District (CCPD) and a local sales and use tax of 0.25% to fund crime prevention programs. The ordinance would reduce the RDC allocation from 0.5% to 0.25% (reallocating 0.25% to the CCPD) contingent on voter approval, and the ordinance described the proposed CCPD plan and budget.
Resident Susan Oaten spoke during public comment, asking: "Why do we need a crime prevention fund? Has the budget been so severely cut back by continual tax rate cuts that we can no longer afford our police department? Why take 50% of the RDC budget?" Councilmembers and staff discussed how RDC-funded infrastructure projects have been financed in the past (combination of RDC, water/wastewater funds and general fund match or grants) and acknowledged trade-offs. Some councilmembers said sales-tax-based funding is broader because visitors and out-of-city shoppers pay sales tax, while others objected to removing infrastructure funding from RDC.
Following debate, Mayor Benton moved to place the CCPD measure on the May ballot at the 0.25% level (which equates to half of the current RDC allocation under current receipts). The motion carried with six votes in favor and one vote opposed. Staff noted that, if approved by voters, the city will reallocate the specified portion of sales-tax revenue and that budget-level decisions about infrastructure and policing will be addressed at future budget hearings.
