The Work Agreement between the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 1 (FOP) and the City was approved on April 4, 2021 by Resolution 21-736. This agreement specifies a 3% wage adjustment in 2021-22, 2% adjustment in 2022-23, and 2% adjustment in 2023-24 for Police Officers and Sergeants.

For the past several months, FOP and City leadership have been meeting to identify strategies to address ongoing recruitment and vacancy challenges. One strategy to address this challenge is to adjust the current wage table. In order to make adjustments beyond what was negotiated in the Work Agreement, a sustainable funding source must be identified. One potential funding source is to amend the recently approved Prop P Use Tax to enable funding for existing Police Department personnel.  FOP Leadership has requested the City Council consider placing an amendment to Prop P on the ballot in the November election to enable such a change to be considered by Independence voters (see attached letter from FOP).

Proposed Ballot language:

Shall the local use tax currently imposed by the City of Independence, Missouri, which is dedicated to a no-kill animal shelter and funding additional police officers, be amended to allow for the funding of all police department personnel and equipment?  Voting in favor of this question will not result in any tax increase or change the funding dedicated to the no-kill animal shelter.

Previous Activity:

On August 6, 2021 the Public Safety Sales Tax Committee met and took the following actions:

1) Did not recommend reducing the current year's budget to reduce the number of budgeted officers in order to use Prop P to hire additional officers.
2) Recommended that an amendment to the current Prop P language be placed on the November ballot to allow funds to be used for current police department personnel and associated equipment.