This coming May, Bellevue residents may once again be asked to approve a levy to help fund essential city services.
If Bellevue officials decide to proceed with the request, this would be the third such vote by the city in as few as four years. Bellevue voters rejected two previous requests in 2004 and 2005.
At a Bellevue City Council meeting last Thursday, city officials discussed the need to raise the city's current levy of .000761533 percent.
Voter approval of such an increase is needed, city officials contend, because of the state's 3 percent cap on the amount cities can increase their budgets annually.
If voters were to approve such an override, the budget would start at a new level, giving the city a chance to catch up with the increasing demand for services.
The first date any such vote could be held is on May 22, 2007. A 60 percent majority would be needed for the levy increase to pass.
During Bellevue's most recent levy vote in May 2005, voters rejected the proposed increase by a significant margin. The final vote was 121, or 36.89 percent, in favor, to 207, or 63.11 percent of voters, against.
In May 2004, a majority of city voters cast ballots in favor of the increase, but it still failed by 4 percent. The final vote was 204, or 55.89 percent, in favor, to 161, or 44.11 percent of voters, against the levy increase.
At the Bellevue City Council's next meeting on Dec. 28, city officials will discuss the possible formation of a citizen advisory committee. Anyone interested in becoming involved in the committee can contact Bellevue City Hall or simply go to the Dec. 28 meeting, Bellevue City Clerk Dee Barton said Tuesday.
"We are asking for citizens' input," Barton said.
Having regular citizens become involved in the process may legitimize the process, the council and several other Bellevue officials agreed last Thursday.
"If it doesn't come from the citizens it's not going to pass," Hailey Councilwoman Tammy Eaton said. "They know we have a (budget) shortfall."
Bellevue Planning and Zoning Administrator Craig Eckles agreed.
"I think you've hit it right on the nose," Eckles said.
Having local citizens and municipal groups head up the education process will be better than having elected officials trying to convince city residents to vote for the increase, he said.
"Those are the groups that will speak for you," Eckles said.
The council and other Bellevue officials also discussed trying the make the pitch for added funds to a more specific need such as the city's fire department or police department. On failed levy votes in the past, the city was too general in stating its needs for the additional funds, city officials agreed.
"You guys need to decide what you want," Bellevue Fire Chief Greg Beaver said. "The whole ball of wax or something less?"
As the possible location for a future open house to discuss the proposal, Beaver suggested the city invite voters to the city's fire station. He said the station provides a perfect example of why the city needs additional funding.
"That's not even our building," Beaver said.
