Buena Park Voters Fail to Approve Special Tax for New Police Station

Despite heavy lobbying by the police chief and other city leaders, Buena Park voters Tuesday failed to approve a special tax that would have built a new police station.

Though 56% of voters supported the ballot issue, Measure P, the count fell far short of the two-thirds necessary for it to pass.

“We’re pleased to see that most voters recognized the need,” said Police Chief Richard M. Tefank, who has spent months speaking on behalf of Measure P. “But that two-thirds threshold is just very difficult to overcome; we knew that going in.”

The turnout was extremely light--just 14% of registered voters, compared to 68% for November’s presidential election. But many opponents of the proposed tax were highly vocal.

“They say it’s just $30 a year, but our utilities are about to go up too,” said resident Kathy Hansen, who voted no. “I care about our police, but this is just not a good time for new taxes. We’re taxed to death.”

With all 17 precincts and absentee votes counted, 2,225 voted yes, but 1,765 (44%) said no.

“They need to go back to the drawing board,” said no-voter Robert Mehrman. “If they need a new police station, they need to find a way to do it without hitting on us taxpayers.”

Residents Mel and Laura Morris suggested that the existing police station be upgraded without adding a new tax.

“When I was a working man, I didn’t have everything my heart desired,” Mel Morris said. “They can make do or find some other way.”

Many who voted yes said they recognized that too many people were upset over high taxes for a two-thirds vote to make it.

“Gee whiz, this tax isn’t going to hurt us,” said resident Margaret Fisher, who voted for it. “But too many people just say no to everything.”

Chief Tefank said pundits could “analyze this election till the sun comes up. The bottom line is the need is still there. The city will have to find a way to do something.”

A new police station would cost $15 million.

Buena Park’s current police station was built in 1964, a one-story structure with a large basement designed as a bomb shelter, common in that Cold War era. But the Police Department outgrew the space long ago.

Its staff has more than tripled from the 79 employed there 37 years ago. Tefank said that four detectives share an office built for two. There’s also a lack of space for proper wiring to meet computer demands.

“I’ve got wires running everywhere over there,” Tefank said.

The basement is in full use, but there is no elevator to it, and no other handicapped access. A new structure would also meet earthquake construction standards, unlike the current building.

Though city officials have long known the need for a new station, the budget cannot support the $15-million price tag. The city is already strapped because of the $6.5-million cost of a new City Hall, to open in two years. The only answer on the police station, the City Council decided, was a special tax.

Tefank was confident, based on response to his numerous public appearances, that the measure had a chance of meeting the two-thirds threshold.

Many community leaders gathered in support. Besides the City Council, others backing the new police station included the Chamber of Commerce, the police officers association, the Buena Park Women’s Club and the Buena Park Senior Citizens Commission.

There was no organized opposition, and no one filed a statement against Measure P to be sent out with sample ballots.

City officials decided on a special election because they believed that would give Measure P its best chance for passing a two-thirds vote. They feared the issue might have gotten overlooked in a regular election, like last November’s presidential election.

Under the special tax, the city would have raised about $1 million a year to cover construction costs. That would have amounted to $30 a year for a single-family residence or a condominium and about $120 annually for a small business. Businesses with at least an acre of land would have paid $600 a year.

Boosters advertised that the average citizen would be paying about 57 cents a week in increased taxes if the special tax was passed.

The new station would have been built next to the site of the current station and would have taken four years to design and complete, once financing was in place.

Plans called for it to include community rooms for the public, an indoor firing range and a 24-bed jail, double the current detention facility.

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Final Election Returns

BUENA PARK

Measure P--Special tax for police facilities

(Requires 2/3 approval)

100% Precincts Reporting

Yes: 2,225 votes, 55.8%

No: 1,765, 44.2% (winner)

* Winning side of measure is in bold type.