Poll: Would You Vote for a Chesterfield Township Police Tax Increase With a Time Cap?
Township officials expressed interest putting the controversial police tax back to voters, with some changes.
As Chesterfield Township grapples with a budget shortfall, several officials interest in putting a tax-increase proposal back to voters.
A majority of voters turned down the ballot measure last November for an additional 2.5 mills for police to be collected indefinitely. That would have added to the existing 5 mills collected in perpetuity for the force.
If the matter goes back to the public during an election, community officials acknowledged it should have a time cap. The length and wording of any potential ballot language has not been determined.
About 250 people showed up for the Tuesday night Board of Trustees meeting, many of whom were opposed to layoffs on the force. A moratorium on the staff reductions was placed for a maximum of 90 days while the community tries to find a solution to the $1.9-million looming deficit. Multiple officials say the layoffs will be imminent without a tax increase.
Take our unscientific poll and tell us your thoughts on this topic in the comments' section below.
David Novak
8:17 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Only if it is done during a general election and not a "special election".
BlogNog
1:12 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
totally agree. Like the DIA special election on a Thursday? (yeah, that was special) I haven't been there since I was 12
Laura R.
8:17 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
I voted for one without a time cap so I will definitely vote for one with a cap! I would rather vote to recall that arrogant Township Supervisor!
Pavel Bure
1:12 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
I agree on it all especially the recall. I remember Lovelock wanted a 30K raise not too long ago even though the finance director stated the Township was losing money.
Denise Calvert
1:12 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Not without a cap.
BlogNog
1:12 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Mike Lovelock is a good man, doing what he can with what has been handed to him (and I'll still vote no)
Tom L
7:09 am on Friday, February 22, 2013
We need to keep our police department at all costs most people do not understand what they are doing to a community to save a few dollars. We need to blame township officials and chief of police not the men and women employed by the department. I would vote yes.
Jorge Gomez
7:09 am on Friday, February 22, 2013
The Chief has been singing the shrinking budget woes to his employees for the last several years. Yet he to this day has not halted all discretionary spending. He informed his command staff of his millage idea in August. Talk about a lack of preplanning .His staff told him he was asking too much. They also urged him to place a sunset date on it. In his arrogance, He would not consider it.
The taxpaying public demands fiscal responsibility. You do not have the right to ask the public to pay more while you continue to spend money on nonessential items!
Chief Smith cannot take blame for the housing market crash, but he must be held responsible for his lack of administrative ability or action afterwards. The tax payers demand accountability! I have seen our police department thrive during times when absent a Chief. Maybe the board should consider laying off the Chief until such time as the community can better afford his expertise. This could keep two patrol officers on the street. I have not heard the Chief volunteer to take any concessions. While his troops took pay freezes, he upped his contract. Lead by example. Cut his pay 37%. The same cut he made in patrol staff. Cut his pay 50%. The same cut he made to dispatch staff.
I support another millage. One that is well thought out and has a definite end date. I will NOT support it if the inept administrator of the police department is left in place to squander my money!
Maximus Max
8:15 am on Friday, February 22, 2013
No. And repeal the one for the fire department too.
Maximus Max
8:14 am on Friday, February 22, 2013
An "end date"....too funny...
Lisa
7:46 am on Saturday, February 23, 2013
I definitely would..I voted for the mileage the first time
Rene Nelson
12:34 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013
Of course I would vote YES! I want my family and my neighborhood safe and taken care of. Our home values will go down even more as crime goes up - which it will when we are short staffed on police officers. I would also vote HELL YES to firing that arrogant, narcissistic police chief!! How dare he think that the officers and public should pay for his piss poor budgeting! Get rid of him and let someone caring, thoughtful and intelligent take over!
Rene Nelson
12:34 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013
One more comment - The milleage only failed by a few hundred votes. That tells me that the majority wanted to have it but there were just enough people against the never ending time frame that it failed. Put it back to the voters with verbage that makes it a reasonable milleage and it will pass.
chuck
9:38 am on Sunday, February 24, 2013
No increase. I live within my budget & so should govt. Other law officers take pay cuts why not our officers?
BlogNog
3:14 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013
Thank you Chuck. I totally agree.
Jim
3:15 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013
Lovelock's power trip needs to end. At least the last election removed some of his cronies and put in some opposition to his dictatorship. If they want additional millage from the people, publish current budget and show where increases are being requested, what's being done to curb current expenses, and what is the long term plan. Otherwise, they'll just keep trying to squeeze more taxes every election. Everyone else has their income reduced and have to make due, government- local or otherwise should do the same.