City Leaders Discuss Measure K at Town Hall Meeting

On Nov. 6, Citrus Heights residents will have a big decision to make: How they will vote regarding Measure K, a utility tax increase of 1.75 percent.

The increase would generate approximately $2 million — half will go toward street resurfacing and half to police department improvements.

During a Town Hall meeting last week, local leaders outlined how and where the money would be spent and how much it would cost residents.

What is Measure K and how much will it cost residents?

Measure K is a proposed revenue booster: A utility tax increase of 1.75 percent that would expire in 10 years.

According to Stefani Daniell, finance director for the City of Citrus Heights, for a family who spends $347.86 a month on utilities, the increase would amount to a monthly increase of $4.84.

That money would equal approximately $2 million for the City, Daniell said. 

What will the money be used for?

Approximately $1 million will go toward street resurfacing and the other half will go into improvements within the Citrus Heights Police Department. 

Police Department improvements

Approximately $1 million of Measure K’s revenue will go toward three key improvements within the Citrus Heights Police Department: More officers, equipment and technology improvements and youth programs.

Of the $1 million, approximately $625,000 will go toward hiring additional police officers, $250,000 toward police equipment and technology and $125,000 toward crime and violence prevention programs for youth.

Citrus Heights Police Chief Chris Boyd said the City faces some big challenges including issues related to gang members, parolees, probationers, sex offenders and a new category of offenders called post-release community supervision offenders, or PRCS. Property crime is high in Citrus Heights, with an average of 259 reported property crime reported monthly, Boyd said.

“This is an area that we struggle with and deal with on a regular basis,” he said.

The City has seen an increase in assault, burglaries and vehicle crime and Boyd says the increases can be tied to a few factors: Inadequate funding, a need for more after-school programs for youth, staffing and a lack of gang-, crime- and drug-prevention education.

With a portion of Measure K’s revenue, it would go toward more technology and equipment such as tracking, a crime database and surveillance equipment, hiring youth officers and detectives, expanding effective programs and other needed areas, Boyd said.

Street resurfacing

“Sixty-five percent of our roads are in fair or poor condition,” David Wheaton, the City of Citrus Heights’ general services director said.

Currently only 35 percent of the roads are in good to excellent condition, Wheaton said.

One of the main concerns with roads in poor conditions is its impact near schools; it can compromise safety, Wheaton said. Also, the repair cost is greater for a road in poor condition versus a road in good condition.

The goal for Measure K’s revenue would be to resurface neighborhood streets, improve the safety of neighborhoods, improve street maintenance costs over time and remove blight and improve the community image.

With funding as-is for road improvements, the City of Citrus Heights can afford to improve 8 streets a year and approximately 38 streets in 10 years. With the proposed Measure K funding, the City would be able to afford to upgrade 28 streets in the first year and approximately 612 streets in 10 years, according to Wheaton.

After those upgrades, 50 percent of Citrus Heights streets will be in excellent condition.

Why a tax increase?

Citrus Heights City Manager Henry Tingle admitted that it is difficult to propose a tax increase when the City has reserves and is debt-free. However, since the city’s peak year, revenues have declined by $9.7 million — $5.7 from the general fund and $4 million from transportation, Tingle said.

“The city is facing a number of challengers,” Tingle said. “One of the big issues is the decline in our general fund revenue … and street resurfacing revenue.”

The loss of revenue stems from two main categories, according to Tingle: the recession, which led to an approximate $3.5 million reduction in sales and use tax, and the state budget crises, which resulted in the elimination of redevelopment and approximately $2.1 million.

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