Q: What’s at stake? What’s the issue?
A: The City of Desert Hot Springs’ Fiscal Accountability and Public Safety Measure (UUT) will expire soon. This important local funding source – previously enacted by Desert Hot Springs voters -- supports our City’s essential public safety services such as fighting crime; dealing with the parolees in our City; combating drugs, including meth; fighting gang and youth violence; and implementing programs to prevent fire. These funds also help ensure that Desert Hot Springs maintains a balanced budget and reduces debt.
Without the Fiscal Accountability and Public Safety Measure (UUT) the City will have no choice but to implement dramatic cuts to public safety services that will affect our safety and quality of life. This measure was implemented with a sunset clause, so that the voters of our City would have the choice to renew it.
Q: What does Measure A do?
A: The City of Desert Hot Springs Fiscal Accountability and Protection of Public Safety Services Measure, or Measure A will be on the Special May 19, 2009 ballot to renew and slightly increase our existing UUT. The additional 2% would go directly to public safety. Measure A will:
Hire 4 additional police officers in Desert Hot Springs;
Increase the police department’s ability to monitor registered sex offenders and parolees, keeping our children safe;
Increasing neighborhood patrols to better coordinate anti-drug and anti-gang operations, keeping drug dealers and gang members off our streets and in jail; and
Maintaining effective 9-1-1 emergency response and establishing a fire prevention program to keep our community safe.
Q: What is a Utility Users Tax?
A: The UUT is a tax on certain utility bills. Desert Hot Springs is updating and modernizing its existing UUT to ensure that it is fair and uniformly applied. Like many other Coachella Valley and California cities with UUTs, we need to modernize our UUT to reflect changes in technology and also renew it, since it is set to expire.
Q: How will Measure A funds benefit the community?
A: Desert Hot Springs’s population has grown by 36% since 2000, but our police and fire departments have not kept pace. In fact, based on the number of calls per population, the Desert Hot Springs fire station is the busiest in the county. Measure A includes a modest increase to ensure the City is able to hire additional police officers, and continue to fund essential public safety operations such as dealing with the parolees in our City, combating drugs, including meth, fighting gang and youth violence, and implementing fire prevention programs.
Q: Can Measure A money be taken by Sacramento?
A: No. All funds raised by Measure A are legally required to be spent in our City. Measure A ensures local control of this revenue and provides a guaranteed source of funding for public safety services and cannot be taken by Sacramento.
Q: Can the City provide a full range of services without Measure A?
A: No. State budget cuts and financial upheaval means that there is NO help coming from Sacramento. In fact, the City's share of funding from the state, like many other cities, has only decreased over time. The loss of this funding source would mean cuts to public safety services that affect our community’s safety.
Q: Will Measure A protect my property values?
A: If the City is forced to cut public safety services, Desert Hot Springs will become a less desirable place to live or for businesses to locate. By protecting and maintaining these public safety services, these measures will protect property values and the local economy. That’s why the City conferred with hospitality and other business before proceeding to place Measure A on the ballot.
Q: How do we know that Measure A funds will be spent responsibly?
A: This measure would include tough accountability provisions such as requiring review by the Citizens’ Finance Advisory Committee, public expenditure reports and guaranteed annual independent audits. These fiscal safeguards will ensure funds are used efficiently, effectively and as promised. In addition these funds are required by law to only be spent on public safety in Desert Hot Springs or to reduce the City’s old bankruptcy debt—they cannot be used for any other purpose.