Item Coversheet
City of Independence
AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET
BILL NO. 21-057Ord.No:          19251

Agenda Title:

21-057 - 2R.  An ordinance amending the City’s current Use Tax to allow funding to be utilized for all Police Department personnel and equipment; and providing for submission of the Proposal to the qualified voters of the City for their approval at the Special Election called and to be held in the City on November 2nd, 2021, and proposing the form of the ballots to be employed at said Election and directing the City Clerk to do all things called for by law in connection with the holding of said Election.-Requested by Councilmembers Dan Hobart and John Perkins
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.  
Background:

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.

 



Fiscal Impact:

Use Tax is budgeted at $4.8 million for the 2021-22 Fiscal Year. The current structure of Prop P requires $3 million of this amount to be directed to hiring 30 additional police positions. The current fund balance for the police portion of Prop P is $3.2 million.  

Department:          Contact Person:          Councilmembers Hobart and Perkins


REVIEWERS:
DepartmentAction
City Managers OfficeApproved
Finance DepartmentApproved
City Managers OfficeApproved
City Clerk DepartmentApproved

Council Action:          Council Action:         

ATTACHMENTS:
DescriptionType
FOP Letter to Mayor and City CouncilBackup Material
Draft ordinance to amend Use TaxOrdinance
Amended OrdinanceOrdinance