REDMOND, OR -- Redmond City Councilors continue to discuss how to fund the hiring of more police officers; attention has focused on a controversial public safety fee, which could increase utility bills by $6 a month.
Mayor George Endicott believes there are still unanswered questions, "One is, is there a need? And, two: how do you pay for it? Now; there are several ways to pay for it. So, one way is a public safety fee. Another is a temporary or permanent operating levy, which would go to the voters; another way is a property tax increase, which Redmond could do – we’re not at our ‘cap,’ if you will, under Measure 5." He adds, "We could try and take it out of our budget, which would impact other programs; or we could do nothing. I think one of the misnomers that’s out there right now: people are convinced that we’ve made up our mind. We have not." Click HERE to access the city's Frequently Asked Questions regarding the proposed fee.
A levy or property tax increase would require voter approval, whereas a utility fee could be imposed with a majority of City Council approval. However, Endicott tells KBND News, "My personal opinion, if we were to do that, I would want a referendum to get a sense of the folks in town, how they feel."
He says there is still time for the community to provide feedback, "We have not decided; there’s another public meeting Monday night at City Hall. And then, Tuesday night, it’s not on the agenda, but of course public comment, we can always take." Monday's meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.
Listen to our full conversation with Redmond Mayor George Endicott at our Podcast Page, or click HERE.
