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Residents urge council to fund additional sheriff coverage; debate over general vs. special tax continues
Summary
Multiple public commenters and councilmembers debated whether a general 1% sales tax or a special-purpose tax is the best way to fund additional sheriff coverage; residents urged a special tax to ensure money pays for deputies while council discussed oversight options and voter understanding.
Residents and public commenters at the July 28 meeting urged the council to ensure new tax revenue is used to increase sheriff coverage and deputy patrols. Jeremy Briggs urged the council to pursue a special tax dedicated to law enforcement rather than a general tax, saying, "General tax is not what the residents want." He said residents wanted control and assurance that money would fund an additional deputy.
An emailed comment from Johan Gallo emphasized the need to raise the city’s transaction-and-use tax to match neighboring jurisdictions and argued improved revenue was necessary for response times and deputy safety. Council members acknowledged the public’s trust concerns and discussed forming an independent advisory committee to provide oversight on how revenues from a potential tax would be spent. Councilmember Allen and Mayor Pro Tem Sabino emphasized community safety as the policy goal; City Attorney Adrian and other council members noted legal constraints around binding future councils and explained that a general tax cannot permanently bind future councils to a specific expenditure.
The council voted to place a 1% general transaction-and-use tax on the Nov. 3 ballot but also directed staff to develop oversight language and to prepare educational materials. The question of whether voters should instead pursue a special tax remained part of public and council debate.
