(From the City of Joplin)Public Safety is a significant priority for all communities. This summer Joplin citizens will consider whether they agree with the status quo or improvements for the Joplin Police and Fire Departments when they vote on August 2, 2022.
Proposition Public Safety is an effort to improve funding for Police and Fire services within the community, which will help offer stability and consistency for these departments for a S.A.F.E.R. Joplin.
City staff and committee members are using the acronym S.A.F.E.R. to help explain the proposition identifying it as focusing on key elements it addresses as Safer, Accountable, Financial, Economic Development, and Recruitment and Retention.
Citizens are invited to learn more about this initiative during a Public Meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20 at Joplin Avenue Coffee Company, 506 South Joplin Avenue. Attendees can talk with Joplin Police Chief Sloan Rowland and Fire Chief Gerald Ezell along with members of the Citizens Committee for Prop PS and other City officials about this important question. The meeting will provide the opportunity for citizens to ask questions about this proposal before voting on this important community question on August 2. Informational handouts will also be provided during the meeting.
Citizens will vote on Proposition Public Safety on August 2 on whether they support a property tax to grow and support public safety services in our community. The proposed tax will levy a $1.00 tax for every $100 of assessed value on all real and personal property, leading to a S.A.F.E.R community. Property tax revenue will improve salaries for public safety, as well as provide funding for additional police officers and firefighters.
Along with the City, both the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 27 and the Joplin Professional Firefighters Local 59 agree on these improvements as everyone works together to solve for a SAFER Joplin.
Citizens are invited to learn more about this initiative during a Public Meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20 at Joplin Avenue Coffee Company, 506 South Joplin Avenue. Attendees can talk with Joplin Police Chief Sloan Rowland and Fire Chief Gerald Ezell along with members of the Citizens Committee for Prop PS and other City officials about this important question. The meeting will provide the opportunity for citizens to ask questions about this proposal before voting on this important community question on August 2. Informational handouts will also be provided during the meeting.
Citizens will vote on Proposition Public Safety on August 2 on whether they support a property tax to grow and support public safety services in our community. The proposed tax will levy a $1.00 tax for every $100 of assessed value on all real and personal property, leading to a S.A.F.E.R community. Property tax revenue will improve salaries for public safety, as well as provide funding for additional police officers and firefighters.
Along with the City, both the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 27 and the Joplin Professional Firefighters Local 59 agree on these improvements as everyone works together to solve for a SAFER Joplin.
A SAFER Joplin is focused on Service. Unfortunately, with recent trends and higher wages in the private sector, the number of people seeking careers in law enforcement and firefighting is declining, creating a challenge to provide these essential services for our community.
A SAFER Joplin is being Accountable. Our firefighters and police officers are responsible for critical services that the private sector does not offer. They are proud to be the stewards in roles of this magnitude.
A SAFER Joplin utilizes Financial resources responsibly. Joplin is near the top of the sales tax limit. We currently have a 17-cent property tax – which is restricted to Health, Parks, and Recycling services only. Assessing a general property tax lessens the reliance on economy-driven sales tax revenues while providing a resource to fund critical public safety services.
A SAFER Joplin seeks Economic Development opportunities for our community. Those looking to invest or relocate to Joplin expect protection not only for themselves but their loved ones, their property, and the community as a whole.
A SAFER Joplin Recruits and Retains public safety personnel. We value the significance of public safety services with competitive pay and positive working conditions to provide quality essential services to our community.
More information will be available at the public meeting and can also be found on the City’s website at www.JoplinMo.org/Elections
Learn more about Proposition Public Safety...
This amount of tax is tremendous and will be a huge burden to taxpayers. $1 of every hundred on your property value. If you own a $100,000 home it will increase individual tax $1,000. Ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteWe have to eat and buy gas to be able to keep working. I want to help law enforcement, but I can't afford this .
Voting no as well. Still haven't heard what's up with the joplin cop who ran over to baxter to murder a toddler. But hey glad he was there protecting that baby.
ReplyDeleteARTICLE XIV. - INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL
ReplyDeleteSection 14.01. - Initiative and referendum—General authority.
(a)The electors shall have power to propose any ordinance, except an ordinance appropriating money, and to adopt or reject the same at the polls, such power being known as the initiative. Any initiated ordinance may be submitted to the council by a petition signed by qualified electors of the city equal in number to at least fifteen percent of the electors registered to vote at the last regular municipal election. A proposed initiative ordinance shall contain no more than one subject which shall be clearly expressed in its title.(b)The electors shall have power to approve or reject at the polls any ordinance passed by the council, or submitted by the council to a vote of the electors, excepting emergency ordinances as provided for in Section 2.12 of this charter, ordinances for the levying of taxes, or for the issuance of special tax bills, as provided in this charter, such power being known as the referendum. Ordinances submitted to the council by initiative petition and passed by the council shall be subject to the referendum in the same manner as other ordinances. Within twenty days after the enactment by the council or by initiative of any ordinance which is subject to referendum, a petition signed by qualified electors of the city equal in number to at least fifteen percent of the electors registered to vote at the last regular municipal election may be filed with the city clerk, requesting that such ordinance be either repealed or submitted to a vote of the electors.
By the city code it can never be repealed.