ANAHEIM : Tax Proposal Gets Tentative Support

Community leaders say they tentatively support a special tax on the March ballot for Police and Fire Department services, but only if the city has no other recourse.

The City Council recently voted to put the measure before voters. Although officials have not determined what the tax would be per family, they have estimated that $4.15 million is needed to bring 40 more police officers and support personnel to the city.

“I think there’s real support for the idea, but I think there needs to be more details,” said Keith Olesen, president of the Anaheim Neighborhood Assn. in the central part of the city. “If $40 a year would put 40 more cops on the street, I don’t think that would be out of line.”

However, Olesen questioned whether the city has considered all other alternatives to a tax. “I’m not completely convinced the city couldn’t look inward. . . . There seems like there might be something else out there (in the city’s budget) to make up the difference and split the cost with the residents 50-50,” he added.

Allen Hughes, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, also lent tempered support.

“As much as the business community is against raising taxes, there comes a time when that is the only solution,” Hughes said. “We think this is the fair way to do it.”

Others, such as Pat Pepper, chairman of the Anaheim Hills Citizens’ Coalition, want assurances that the tax would be the same for each household.

Pepper added that while new taxes may alarm many residents, they may be the city’s only choice, because state and county governments continue to delegate more and more responsibility to the local level.

If the ballot measure is supported in March, the council will begin drafting the actual tax plan, which would go into effect after a number of public hearings and final revisions.