UPDATE TO POLICE BUDGET

On Tuesday night the Town Council held a Budget Workshop to discuss the Library, Police and Fire proposed budgets.  According to the Town Manager, Diane Barnes, the Police department budget increased by $130,760.00.  This was due to the fact that instead of 25% of the Officer wages are paid by the town and 75% are paid by the schools; she made it 100% of their wages.  This will change the total operating cost of the Police Department.

 The following is what the taxpayers are forced to pay for a police force.

            1,463,637.00 – Police

                  82,490.00 – Animal Control

                339,784.00 – Dispatch/Communication Center

            1,885,911.00  TOTAL

However, this is not the actual cost because the following expenditures are elsewhere in the budget:

                     9,559.00 – Police Liability is under 01-115 Insurance

                   17,604.00 – PD Full Service Support is under 01-135 Technology, Service

                                         & Support Agreement

                   14,285.00 – Tritech PD is under 01-135 Technology, Service & Support

                                          Agreement

                      6,078.00 – 13 PDPatrol is under 09-900 Debt Service for leased vehicle

                      5,952.00 – K9 Unit is under 09-900 Debt Service for leased vehicle

                      9,380.00 – 14 PDPatrol is under 09-900 Debt Service for leased vehicle

                   10,403.00 – 15 PDPatrol is under 09-900 Debt Service for leased vehicle          

                   18,018.00  -  County Tax for PSAP (Just found it)

                   91,279.00  - TOTAL

The total operating cost of the Police Department to the taxpayers is the sum of these two figures:

1,885,911.00

      91,279.00

1,977,190.00 TOTAL OPERATING COST OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

How close is this to two million?

2,000,000.00

1,977,190.00

      22,810.00

This means that the Police Department is 24.69298% of the total Municipal Budget.  Can we really afford to pay 25% of our tax dollars for a police force in this bedroom community?

Larry Fillmore