Sheriff urges Greenfield citizens to vote "No" on Safety Services Income Tax Repeal Issue
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To the editor:
In the upcoming primary election on May 4, you will be asked to decide whether to repeal part of the 1/2 percent income tax that was enacted in the mid-1980s specifically for your safety services, police and fire. The revenue was allocated between the Greenfield Fire Department and the Greenfield Police Department, equally, since its inception.
Since the fire department has evolved into a fire district and is supported by a separate fire levy, the Safety Services Income Tax Levy is in jeopardy if it is repealed. In 2009, the Safety Services Levy generated $378,533 and was split between the two agencies. Current general revenue (from other sources) is down 50 percent from the previous year, which forced the lay-off of three Greenfield Police Department dispatchers, and three Greenfield Police Department patrol officer positions were left vacant. Other cuts have been made through closing of the Greenfield City Jail and reducing overtime for shift coverage and investigations.
If the tax is left in place, the Greenfield Fire Department's share will go to the Greenfield Police Department, which may allow laid-off dispatchers to be recalled and would allow more Greenfield Police Officers to be put on the street to combat the rising level of crime in Greenfield. Keeping the levy in place does not cost the Greenfield taxpayers any additional monies, and it is not a new tax. It just assures current safety service revenue stays in place for the protection of the citizens of Greenfield.
As sheriff of Highland County, I have made major budget cuts, which have resulted in lay-offs of 12 deputies, as the county's general fund is also suffering through these tough financial times. This diminishes my ability to assist the Greenfield Police Department with sheriff's office resources to the level we once did, which reinforces my position on the importance of the Safety Service Income Tax in Greenfield.
I urge the citizens of Greenfield to vote "No" on the Safety Services Income Tax Repeal Issue.
Respectfully submitted,
Sheriff Ronald D. Ward
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