Last week, Bellevue Marshal Randy Tremble should have enjoyed a vacation. Instead, he worked the entire week, due to the understaffed police department.
"We are not on a treasure hunt. We are in a pretty bad position, if (the levy) doesn't go through," Tremble said. "I honestly don't know how we are going to carry it off next year."
As a reflection of the city's ongoing struggle to provide financial support of essential services, the City Council on Tuesday, May 24, will ask voters to increase the city's fiscal budget by $300,000.
The budgetary increase would come from an increase in the city's property tax rate to help fund municipal services, such as the police, fire and street departments.
On Election Day, polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at Bellevue City Hall. Absentee ballots are currently available at City Hall. Voters can register at the polls.
Bellevue currently operates with an approximately $238,000 general fund budget. The city stretches the minimal budget to support the police, fire, administrative, street, parks, planning and building departments.
"What (the council) is doing here is for the city," Tremble said. "It is not strictly a public safety issue. These are quality-of-life issues that we are trying to maintain and improve upon."
This year, the City Council drew from savings and balanced the budget by cutting street and administrative funds. The lack of funding also prompted the city to consider closing the public library and consolidating city services.
Tremble said the revenue collected from the levy would enable the police department to hire two additional officers to adequately respond to public safety needs.
"We take a lot of calls," Tremble said. "We need to have people to send out on those calls as well as maintain proactive patrol in the way of uniformed patrol cruising the area."
In the last city pay period, one of Tremble's officers worked nine straight days, logging 114 hours, while the other officer worked five straight days, recording 86 hours.
Bellevue Fire Chief Dennis Cannon agrees that the levy increase is necessary to maintain the Fire Department's level of service.
"I want the people to know we are here to help everybody, but we need everybody's help to do it," Cannon said.
Cannon explained that the Fire Department needs funds for a new fire engine, equipment and training. In addition, the council borrowed from the city's savings last year to fund the full-time fire chief position.
The special election comes in response to citizen consensus expressed at a community forum in March. Residents signaled support after concerns of consolidating and contracting city services arose.
Bellevue Special Election
The Bellevue levy rate is based on the assessor's determination of the total property value in the city. The levy rate determines the amount of taxes a property owner owes to the city.
According to the city, the assessor's office estimates Bellevue's 2005 total property value to be $315,335,225. At the estimated 2005 total property value, the new Bellevue levy rate would be .001729575.
To calculate the tax for a property, multiple the levy rate by the property value. A property valued at $180,000 would pay $311.32 per year in Bellevue property taxes. A property valued at $280,000 would pay $484.26 per year in Bellevue property taxes. A property valued at $380,000 would pay $657.21 per year in Bellevue property taxes.
In 2004, Bellevue's levy rate was .000992077, which is the lowest in Blaine County.
