Westminster Councilors are inching toward asking voters, again, for more money for the fire department.
Councilors Monday night directed city staff members to move forward with a plan to engage the community about putting a 0.4% sales tax increase on the November ballot, said city spokesman Andy Le.
The next step will be a July 24 town hall at West View Recreation Center to hash over the idea of a tax increase, Le said.
The potential sales tax increase would be dedicated to building a central fire station, hiring firefighters and EMTs to staff the central station and a new north fire station that the city will build using urban renewal funds, Le said via email.
The city would also dedicate $2 million annually for neighborhood streets – not major arterials, he said.
Councilors want to hear the community’s feedback on July 24 before ballot language is reviewed and approved no later than August 25.
Survey shows support
Councilors Monday night were buoyed somewhat by a survey conducted from June 24 to June 30 by Magellan Strategies that indicated support for a funding boost for fire services as well as infrastructure improvements for the city.
At least 61% of respondents to the survey said they would vote for a ballot measure that called for increasing the existing city sales and use tax by 0.35% with 0.10% to expire on Jan. 1, 2051.
The resulting revenue would recruit and retain a minimum of 30 firefighters, emergency medical and support personnel to reduce response time and maintain emergency services at new stations in north and central Westminster, according to the suggested ballot measure.
Besides new equipment and facilities to better protect the public and first responders, the proposed ballot issue would also “…maintain, improve, and prioritize neighborhood streets and city roadways.”
“At 60% is a real good place to start,” said Ryan Winger of Magellan Strategies.
After respondents read how the city has been restructured and held flat or reduced its budget, 68% said they would vote for the tax increase, Winger said.
Potential voters are also much more likely to approve a tax increase if the funding will help prevent and protect against wildland fires, he said.
Trouble spots
The survey also included some roadblocks to pursuing a tax increase. Some respondents believe the city already has the funding to expand services.
“That’s a little bit of a cause of a concern,” Winger said. “Over 50% believe the city already has the money. Ideally, this number should be under 50%”
Councilors said they did not want a repeat of the 2024 vote, in which a similar measure lost by a 53%-47% margin. The city, they said, needs to engage in a comprehensive education campaign to get voters to support the planned 2025 measure.
“It’s an off-year election, that makes it even tougher,” said Councilor Obi Ezeadi. “A lot of people care about their own situation…if someone believes everything is fine, why would they want to increase their costs?”