Santa Paula to Seek Tax for Police, Firefighters

City voters will decide in November whether to approve a 4.5% utility tax that would raise almost $900,000 a year to hire more police officers and firefighters.

On a 4-1 vote, the City Council on Monday night approved placing the tax proposal on the fall ballot. Councilwoman Laura Flores Espinosa cast the lone vote in opposition.

If passed by two-thirds of the voters, the tax on telephone, water, sewer, electricity and gas utilities is expected to raise $888,081 annually.

The money would be enough to add four police officers, three firefighters and give both departments 10% raises. Currently, the city’s 29 police officers and eight full-time firefighters are the lowest paid in the county, City Manager Peter Cosentini said. .

“The city of Santa Paula has endured for a long time deprivation of revenues and this has had a very chilling effect on the organization,” he said. “For example, the Police Department only has the time and the resources to pursue and follow up on very serious crimes--rape, murder, crimes against individuals. Lesser crimes, due to the service level, cannot be pursued.”

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Espinosa said she voted against the utility tax proposal not because she believes the city’s fire and police departments don’t need more money, but because the council needs to redefine how its money is spent.

“I’m not opposed to a utility tax, I just think the timing is not right,” she said. “This council has chosen to be the spendthrift council of the century in all their endeavors and we find ourselves now facing a deficit.”

A five-year financial plan released last year forecast progressively worse budget shortfalls that could reach $1.2 million by 2001.