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Paso Robles police and fire unions support sales tax measure

October 20, 2024

Statement from the Paso Robles Police Officers Association and the Professional Firefighters Association

As Paso Roblans consider whether to vote YES on Measure I-24, the Paso Robles Police Officers Association and the Professional Firefighters Association would like to share why we see I-24 as a public safety priority and why we strongly endorse I-24.

It is important to note that I-24 is not a new tax, but a continuation of measure E-12, a ½ cent sales tax scheduled to sunset this year. Since 2012, E-12 has raised more than $78 million dollars, and with transparent oversight, it has funded 44 separate road repair, maintenance, or reconstruction projects throughout the city.

Unfortunately, many of our roads still require maintenance, and city staff and consultants estimate that the city still has $350 million in deferred road repair needs.

Now, what does this have to do with public safety?

As many will recall, in 2020, Paso Robles voters approved measure J-20, which was a general tax that provides critical funding for police, fire, and streets maintenance. Currently, J-20 generates approximately $11 million each year. That money is critical for public safety as it funds 15 fire personnel, 27 police officers and support staff, and various public safety capital projects.

If I-24 is not approved, road maintenance will continue, but at a much slower pace, and funding must still come from somewhere in the city’s limited general fund. The most obvious place to obtain road repair funding is from J-20.

Consequently, less funding will be available for your police and fire departments and result in cuts to police officers and firefighters. This is the reason I-24 is a significant public safety issue. Yes, I-24 is a general tax intended to fix our roads, but without I-24, public safety will be impacted, services reduced, and road repair will be painfully slow.

The good news for voters, however, is I-24 is not a new tax. By voting yes on I-24, voters will not see a tax increase. And, because tourists also pay sales tax while visiting our city, their spending naturally relieves some of the burden on our community members.

So, by maintaining the status quo and voting yes on I-24, we can raise the funds necessary to continue fixing our streets and roads without compromising our public safety.

Please join the Paso Robles Police Officers Association and the Paso Robles Firefighters Association in supporting public safety and vote yes on Measure I-24.

 


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The city council lied to the citizens on the 2012 tax initiative. Driven by road repairs to get the vote passed, they instantly changed the name after it passed to included everything else besides the roads. Including a 30k sign on bonus with the police department so every officer can buy a home within city limits. All the toys the police department wants they get. Who paid for the encryption of the PD radio waves which leaves citizens in the dark until the police department makes a statement about a incident. A new fire station was needed, but why the big property purchase and making it a Fire Training center? They city has paid millions to a sexual assault victim of the police department, and they let him go to be a police officer somewhere else and tried to sweep it under the rug just like Coach Kathy in the early 2000’s. Structure needs to be brought to the leadership of this town and I really hope it starts with this next election. Vote no on the .5 cent tax increase til this city learns to be more money minded and not just throwing money at everything including over engineered projects.


13

There are so many factually incorrect statements in that paragraph. There is no “30k signing bonus” for EVERY cop so they can buy a house in town. That is not correct. The radio encryption was a mandate by DOJ as confidential information was being sent over the air: name, DOB, license number, criminal history, etc. Of course, DOJ wants the change, but the bill falls on the law enforcement agencies. Lastly, what are all the “toys” the police asked for and they have received?


1

What a surprise! I would never have guessed that public servant unions would support a tax increase. It’s certainly fortunate that CCN made us all aware of this. Otherwise we might have inadvertently rejected the tax increase.


15

You realize the people supporting this claim they are for small Government; ie, conservative; and are hired by Republican John Ham-on and Ty Lewis and whatever sick attorney psychopath is employed to the city?


-8

Boycott John Ham* lord, vote blue folks. Your red council is Bleeding red our tax dollars for nothing. Anything not downtown has had no street improvements yet they keep letting LLCs build unaffordable housing or literally only rental units.


-19

Have you driven Creston Road, Sierra Bonita etc. Huge infrastructure projects including underground utilities then repaving. Tell me, how are affordable housing units supposed to be built with the cost of EIR, permitting, etc. Do you have any idea of the cost per unit? Thank the Liberal Legislature and Governor for those costs. Free markets will drive the price down. Get the non profits and government out. Cut the cost to build and the red tape and units will be build. The additional units on the market will drive down costs at that point.


9

The salary for a battalion chief/fire marshal in Paso Robles is $142,100.40–$160,151.42. According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual pay for a fire department in El Paso de Robles is $96,268, with a range of $31,242–$184,428. The majority of salaries fall between $78,600 and $125,000, with top earners making $156,712.


The average salary for the Chief of Police in Paso Robles, California is around $172,985 per year, which is 72% higher than the national average.


17

Good data. Also, city manager; the interim is making 250k, police chief and sheriff also make 200k roughly, paso has Lil Ol Ty Lewis former manager and police chief making pension AND on “disability” also raking in 200k, AND the guy is sueing the city for “harassment” LoL. Paso needs to really just exponge its current government and redo. You can blame the voters. It’s supposed to be a “conservative town”, my Behind. Our conservative leaders are destroying this place with Big Government yet saying they want small government yet they want the Government to run your life.


5

So police chiefs in other parts of the nation make under $45K a year. I don’t think so. According to my research, the average is about $110K per year which makes local chiefs well paid, but not exorbitant, in my opinion. The Central Coast of California is one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S. According to Zillow, the average cost of a house in Paso is over $700K which really is not that affordable for someone making $110K unless their spouse is also a police chief. Reduce the price of a house to the same number that it is in Missouri or Mississippi and I would say that 172 is ridiculous, but not here. I guess you want to pay our public servants less than what it costs to live in the area where they work. I think fire and law enforcement officers should be paid in the upper echelon of society, but I know I’m in the minority on this blog.


-10

I grew up outside of Pittsburgh where there are many municipalities around the city. Those police forces are 5-10 people and the chief is basically a schedule maker and patrolman. When a big crime happens the county takes over. I’m certain there are similar circumstances around the country. Those types weigh down the average considerably.


1

Agree 20. Paper pushers shouldn’t make Neuro Surgeon pay for “liability reasons”.


-1

All city employee salaries and benefits can be found at transparent California: https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/2023/paso-robles/


4

Public Sector Unions are a coflict of interest. Especially, when Unions are a fund-raising arm of the Democrat Party.


29

Paso has a majority Republican council, and They hire your Union Police chiefs and Your Union Staff. So, vote Blue next time. Try to argue with these facts, Please, we welcome it.


-17

Ok, here is a fact. Where are you going to find Police or Fire staff that aren’t or haven’t been in the union?


2

That’s the point. Your Republican candidates set a pay with a union and yet Republicans cry wolf at Republican Union pay.


-11

Of course the overpaid assholes support it. Their bloated salaries and pensions come from taxation.


20

Who allows them to make that much; ding ding, the “conservative majority city council”. Try to deny it. Try


-5

According to this, it’s up to the voters. Stop voting for this stuff.


11

Agreed Justdad. Id drop my political and religious affiliation to just be a neighbor who cares about my city. If we can all come to terms we are all here together, Minus the Resnicks and Billionaires stealing our water.


0

I volunteered in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Old lady with a belly ache calls 911, one engine responded, quiet arrival. Now, engines from three sides of town are dispatched, code 3. Probably throw in mutual aid as well! Padding the response numbers so they can increase their budgets. Sorry, just stating the facts.


33

Paso Robles city has the highest call volume; this includes SLO with poly. Why; idk, aging population, old folks homes? Statistics via- San Luis Ambulance


Paso needs new roads; In order to get this we need new government. We have had the same “figures and their political affiliation” for decades, get me here?


Vote, Get rid of Sharon Rodent*


7

We need less government not more. Live within your means and forget about taxpayers bailing you out. Sorry boys and girls but your dream of new fire equipment or salary increases will just have to be factored in existing funds.


38

That will never happen with the current “conservative overspending big gov council” the same ones who have been there for Years through all the corruption.


-3

shills


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