Dear Editor,
As Paso Roblans consider whether to vote YES on Measure I-24, the Paso Robles Police Officers Association (POA) and the Professional Firefighters Association would like to share why we see I-24 as a public safety priority and why westrongly endorse I-24.
It is important to note that I-24 is not a new tax, but a continuation of measure E-12, a half-cent sales tax scheduled to sunset this year. Since 2012, E-12 has raised more than $78 million dollars, and with transparent oversight, it has funded 44 separate road repair, maintenance, or reconstruction projects throughout the city. Unfortunately, many of our roads still require maintenance, and city staff and consultants estimate that the city still has $350 million in deferred road repair needs.
Now, what does this have to do with public safety?
As many will recall, in 2020, Paso Robles voters approved measure J-20, which was a general tax that provides critical funding for police, fire, and streets maintenance. Currently, J-20 generates approximately $11 million each year. That money is critical for public safety as it funds 15 fire personnel, 27 police officers and support staff, and various public safety capital projects.
If I-24 is not approved, road maintenance will continue, but at a much slower pace, and funding must still come from somewhere in the city’s limited general fund. The most obvious place to obtain road repair funding is from J-20. Consequently, less funding will be available for your police and fire departments and result in cuts to police officers and firefighters. This is the reason I-24 is a significant public safety issue. Yes, I-24 is a general tax intended to fix our roads, but without I-24, public safety will be impacted, services reduced, and road repair will be painfully slow.
The good news for voters, however, is I-24 is not a new tax. By voting YES on I-24, voters WILL NOT see a tax increase. And, because tourists also pay sales tax while visiting our city, their spending naturally relieves some of the burden on our community members. So, by maintaining the status quo and voting YES on I-24, we can raise the funds necessary to continue fixing our streets and roads without compromising our public safety.
Please join the Paso Robles Police Officers Association and the Paso Robles Firefighters Association in supporting Public Safety and VOTE YES on Measure I-24.
Paso Robles Firefighters Association
