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All candidates back levy renewal; call for clearer reporting on levy spending
Summary
At the forum, every candidate said they would vote yes to reauthorize a capital/technology levy that supporters say will fund safety and internet upgrades; candidates urged more transparent monthly reporting and community advisory oversight of levy spending.
When asked how they would vote on a referendum to reauthorize funds from property taxes for capital improvements, every candidate onstage said they planned to vote yes and stressed the levy is a renewal rather than a new tax.
"I am emphatically voting yes for this referendum. It does not increase property tax. It's continuation of a ref of a levy that we had. It's $7,000,000 that if it doesn't pass, we have to find $7,000,000 someplace else in the budget," Rita Evans Becker said. Other candidates echoed safety and technology as primary uses and highlighted internet outages and security needs as reasons for continuation.
Several candidates also said that restoring public trust requires clearer reporting: monthly or project-level updates on where levy revenue is spent and a stronger role for finance advisory(s) and community review so residents can track investments in safety and technology.
