Fail: 6,753 / 60.60% Yes votes ...... 4,390 / 39.40% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

If approved, Measure P would assess a flat rate parcel tax on all taxable properties within the City. The tax shall not exceed sixty-four dollars ($64) per year per single family residential unit. The tax formula establishes an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) for properties based on land use. All parcels will be taxed at a rate not to exceed sixty-four dollars ($64) multiplied by the ERU. (See Table in Voter Pamphlet for ERU formula.) The parcel tax will be collected annually, commencing on July 1, 2007, and will automatically terminate five years thereafter.

The proceeds from the Measure will be deposited into a special account separate from the City's General Fund and will be spent solely for police services. A Citizens' Oversight Committee will be responsible for reviewing the expenditures of funds collected from the parcel tax, determining whether the funds were spent in furtherance of police services, and issuing a written public report on their findings annually.

The City Council adopted a resolution on July 10, 2006, calling this election and submitting this Measure to a vote of the electors of the City. Two-thirds of those voting on the Measure must approve the Measure for it to pass. A "Yes" vote on Measure P is a vote to authorize the City to assess the parcel tax for police services. A "No" vote on Measure P is a vote against authorizing the parcel tax for police services.

The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure P. If you desire a copy of the Measure, please call the City of Lafayette at (925) 284-1968 and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.

Malathy Subramanian
City Attorney

Contra Costa Times

• If Lafayette residents want more police patrols next year, it will cost them $64 a year to get it - 10.08.06

LAFAYETTE NEEDS MORE PATROL OFFICERS AND A NARCOTICS OFFICER. OUR POLICE FORCE IS STRETCHED TOO THIN.

Response times have risen to 20-30 minutes--too long for emergencies! Response times are long because Lafayette police respond to 2.5 calls per hour--each requiring, on average, 30 minutes to resolve--with the fewest police officers per capita of any Contra Costa jurisdiction.

Sixty percent of crimes are committed downtown, leaving officers with little time to patrol our neighborhoods. Often, only two officers patrol the City and, when an officer arrests and transports a suspect to jail, just one officer is left in the entire City. Back up officers, if available from adjoining cities, take a long time to arrive.

Measure P will fund four additional officers to address the rise in narcotics and other crimes and to increase neighborhood patrolling. Measure P funds are critical, as Lafayette receives a far smaller share of your property tax dollars, only 6.4%, than do most cities. Police expenditures are 42% of the City budget, and the remaining dollars fund other important services.

We must increase our peace of mind and the safety of Lafayette + PLEASE vote YES on Measure P.

Guy D. Atwood - President, Lafayette Homeowners Council
Anne F. Grodin - President Lafayette Community Foundation; Former Mayor and Councilmember City of Lafayette; Past Citizen of the Year
Budd E. MacKenzie - President Chamber of Commerce Lafayette
Traci Reilly - Co-Chair, Lafayette Citizens Organized for Police Support
Don Tatzin - Member, Lafayette City Council, former Mayor

Lafayette has a low crime rate because few criminals can afford to live here. The police always desire an increase in their own numbers. Backup Patrol Officers are available from neighboring cities and from the Sheriffs Office. Many of the service calls are actually medical related and should be directed to the Fire Department or 911 for service. With the current level of police presence, crime rates would probably not change.

Read the entire text. Codes 25-55 and the committee's duties are incomprehensible. The administrators who devised this unintelligible code will determine the assessed amount annually. The littlest restaurant and the biggest shopping centers pay $1920 annually. That is worse than new mansions and the littlest apartment unit paying equally. This annual tax assessment is aiming for corruption and lawsuits.

Why does Lafayette only receive 6.4% county money? This is a far smaller share than other cities receive. Lafayette's leadership only wants your money. If you are foolish enough to vote for this tax, it is 100% certain you will be asked for more. Please vote NO on Measure P.

William G. Mattonen
Private Citizen

60% to 70% of crimes in Lafayette occur downtown.

The Lafayette Police Department is adequately `staffed' for our crime rate experience. Lafayette currently spends 42% of the City budget on the police department, much higher than any other general expenditure. The average yearly cost on one (1) Officer is $177,000 to $194,000, including about $50,000 per year for retirement benefits. Parcel Taxes would be better spent on city assets such as Public Works Maintenance, Engineering, Planning and Recreation where all can benefit.

All police officers are hired by the Martinez Sheriff Department and `contracted' to the City of Lafayette thereby bringing detached service to Lafayette. For abnormal or complex investigations, resources are immediately available to Lafayette from the Martinez Sheriff's Department. The city is `billed' for any cost, and this will not change with the addition of Patrol Officers. Lafayette currently uses 17 full time police officers, including an Investigator. In addition, we have four Reserve Officers for the City of Lafayette, plus a full time Community Services Officer.

Getting the Community involved with emphasis on Lafayette's `Neighborhood Watch' program would benefit the community; and is more likely to obtain service in `the right place at the right time'.

William G. Mattonen
Private Citizen

With drug arrests up by more than 200% over the past two years, safety in Lafayette is an important issue. Drug users often commit other crimes, such as burglaries and robberies. Crime occurs in all neighborhoods; we need a police force that can protect the entire City. Traffic stops often lead to drug-related arrests, property recovery and gaining important information related to other crimes. There is no traffic citation quota.

OUR POLICE FORCE IS STRETCHED TOO THIN.

Lafayette has the smallest police force per resident of any city in the County and our officers make a high number of arrests + for example, almost twice as many per officer as Danville and two-thirds more per officer than Orinda. Because of the small size of the force, at times only one officer patrols the entire City. Lafayette's four reserve officers, who volunteer about three evenings per month, are outstanding. But neither they, nor our Neighborhood Watch programs, can substitute for a visible and adequately staffed police force.

THE TAX IS AFFORDABLE AND ITS USE WILL BE MONITORED.

The tax will last 5 years and cost less than 20 cents per household per day + a real bargain for added safety. The tax will be shared equally between multi-family and businesses (half) and single-family residences (half). An independent Oversight Committee will ensure that proceeds are spent as promised.

Measure P is worthy of our trust. Please vote YES.

Judy Carney, Member Acalanes District Governing Board
Guy D. Atwood, President, Lafayette Homeowners Council
Budd E MacKenzie, Lafayette Chamber of Commerce
Traci Reilly, Co-chair, Lafayette Citizens Organized for Police Support
Don Tatzin, Member, Lafayette City Council, former Mayor