By Dave Fidlin
CORRESPONDENT
Whitewater residents will be asked whether they approve increasing property taxes to add additional financial resources into the local police department as the city pursues a referendum.
On the heels of a series of discussions earlier this fall, the Common Council on Nov. 7 approved placing a referendum on an upcoming ballot. It could appear in April, alongside the Whitewater Unified School District’s facilities referendum, though this has not been set in stone.
The council’s recent vote merely paved the way for the public safety referendum and enlisting the services of a communications firm to share information on its intent and impact on a property owner.
In addition to solidifying the timing of the referendum, the council will have to determine the cost of the referendum.
At the recent meeting, Police Chief Dan Meyer, Finance Director Rachelle Blitch and other city officials presented five possible referendum package options, ranging from $1.95 million on the high end to $711,336 on the low end.
City officials are reviewing a series of different options for the various referendum packages, including additional patrol officer staffing, equipment patrols and other items that would weigh on the expense side of the department’s financial ledger.
Meyer pointed to one additional scenario – one that was strongly advocated against, and the council ultimately is not pursuing, based on its first-in-a-series of votes on the matter.
“Obviously, I have to mention, we can stay status quo,” Meyer said. “But staff does not recommend that option, and I’ll leave it at that.”
During deliberations, the council was overwhelmingly in support of pursuing the referendum, while acknowledging some of the finer points still have to be put into sharper focus.
“I appreciate all of the information. I think everything we’ve seen over the last six months shows we definitely have a need in the city; I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” said Councilmember Neil Hicks, who made the motion to move forward with the referendum.
For the full story, please see the print edition of the Whitewater Register.
