3,516 / 37.3% Yes votes ...... 5,904 / 62.7% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

s/ Alan J. Smith

Watsonville Register-Pajaronian

• Local campaign financing noted - 10/29/04

• Watsonville proposes spending plan for money from proposed tax hike - 10/13/04

In 2003, the City Council voted for a new telephone tax to pay for the Emergency 911 Service despite public protest and despite the fact that they were violating State Law in doing so without a public vote first. Shame on the Council! The problem with the new tax is that it is both dishonest as well as a bad deal for the people. The 911 service is already being paid for by us through an existing charge on our phone bills and through the regular taxes that we are paying to the City. With this new phone tax, we would end up paying twice. As any smart shopper knows: Paying twice the price for the same merchandise is not nice!

Also, this is not a public safety issue. The City cannot legally stop supplying 911 Service to Watsonville. The 911 Service must be made available whether this new city phone tax is collected or not. The real issue is out-of-control government spending. Over and over again, the City claims to have a financial crisis even though their budget balloons when they pass another tax that workers and retirees alike have to pay for.

Be a smart shopper and put some limits on out-of-control taxing and spending. Vote YES on Measure T.

s/ Nick Bulaich, Circulator Of Petition
s/ Rick Machado
s/ Alice P. Bankhead
s/ Dan Hernandez, Member of Parents United
s/ Robert Price, Business Owner

Until now, the City has been able to fund this service to the community, but due to State budget cuts and the slowdown in the economy, the City Council has to make cuts in other public safety services in order to fund 911. The City Council has approved a $2.00 per month, per residence, fee to help pay for this special service. Homes receiving Lifeline service (discounted telephone service for low income families, seniors and others) will not be required to pay, and the City's General Fund will pay for their portion of the costs. The SCCECC services are so state of the art and outstanding, that it is one of the first agencies in California to have earned the coveted and prestigious Public Safety Communications Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) award.

Imagine calling 911 and not receiving life-saving response for your loved ones. Every minute saved by the paramedics increases survival! We believe that you want to make sure that the Police come as fast as possible when you find yourself in danger.

The emergency response fee is directly related to the cost of providing the 911 services to all residential and business phones within Watsonville's City limits. The fee's sole purpose is to pay for this significant benefit.

Vote NO on Measure T and make sure that the state of the art service available to you today is there the next time you have to make that 911 call!

Vote NO on Measure T. $2.00 a month could save the life of a loved one!

s/ Judy Doering-Nielsen, Mayor, City of Watsonville
s/ Ben Evans, Fire Chief
s/ Terry A. Medina, Police Chief
s/ Kirt Vojvoda, Firefighter, Watsonville Fire Dept.
s/ Rachel Mayo, Watsonville Resident

Repeals Ordinance No. 1163-03 (CM)

NOW, THEREFORE, THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, DO HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. ENACTMENT. Chapter 3-15 (Emergency Response Fee) of Title 3 (Finance) of the Watsonville Municipal Code is hereby repealed by a measure of the voters of the City of Watsonville.

SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall be in force and take effect ten (10) days after the official canvass of the November 2, 2004, Special Municipal Election pursuant to California Election Code Section 9217.