Vancouver, WA voters will have a chance to weigh in on Proposition 5 this coming November, a public safety levy aimed at increasing the number of police officers on the city streets. According to a report by KATU, the Vancouver City Council is seeking voter approval for a property tax hike projected to fund 13 additional police officers. Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle highlighted the city’s low officer-to-population ratio amid a surge past 200,000 residents, stating, “We’re trying to bring that up, and we hope the voters understand that and work with us.”
However, this is not the city’s first rodeo trying to inject more funds into its law enforcement. A previous measure, Proposition 4, was turned down by voters last fall. The newer, leaner incarnation of the levy, which was formerly hoping to rake in enough to support 80 sworn officers, is now looking at a more modest 13 – a change that reflects the city council’s shift towards a stance that might be more palpable for the average taxpayer. Despite Proposition 4’s hefty ask of over $6 million a year, Vancouver City Manager Lon Pluckhahn conveyed, as per The Oregonian, officials recognized concerns about the size of Proposition 4, leading to the slimmed-down Prop 5.
Proposition 5 would require homeowners to pitch in an estimated $75 annually for a home valued at $500,000, breaking down to a digestible $6.25 per month. Alongside bolstering Vancouver’s police force, the funds will also cover necessary equipment, vehicles, and support for administrative and staffing costs, as well as prosecution and criminal justice expenses, as stated by the OPB…