Desert Hot Springs Community Update Winter 2009

Upcoming Public Safety Fiscal Challenges In the next year the City of Desert Hot Springs’ Fiscal Accountability and Public Safety Measure (UUT) and the City of Desert Hot Springs 911 Emergency Response Police, Fire and Safe Streets Measure (Parcel Tax) are set to expire. These local funding sources provide the City with essential public safety revenue that funds our police and fire services such as fighting crime, dealing with the parolees and sex offenders in our City, combating drugs, including meth, and fighting gang and youth violence. Without these funds the City will have no choice to implement dramatic cuts to public safety services that will affect our safety and quality of life. These measures were implemented with a sunset clause, so that the voters of our City would have the choice to renew them.

Increasing Demand for Public Safety Services Desert Hot Springs’ population has grown by 36% since Our Police and Fire departments have not kept pace. Based on the number of calls per population, the Desert Hot Springs fire station is the busiest in the County. We are 10 Police Officers short of the recommended number for a City our size.

What is the City Doing about this? The City is seeking Community input into priorities and considering asking voters to renew and modernize these local revenue sources next year. The City is also considering modest increases to these measures to ensure the City is able to: Hire 10 additional police officers, Continue programs to deal with parolees and registered sex offenders in our City, Combat drugs, including meth, and Fight gang and youth violence

More Police on the Streets If we had more officers, we could prevent crimes before they happen. Police are so busy responding to calls for assistance that they have virtually no time to patrol or conduct community policing. Passing these local measures will change that by: Putting more police on the street, Increasing neighborhood patrols, and Allowing the City to join the County Narcotics Task Force that coordinates anti-drug police operations.

Anti-Gang and Anti-Drug Programs Meth labs, drug trafficking and gangs are serious problems in Desert Hot Springs. This measure fund: More school police officers, Anti-gang and anti-drug prevention programs, and After-school programs that help keep kids off the streets and out of trouble.

Safely Monitor Registered Sex Offenders and Parolees The State continues to release more registered sex offenders and parolees, and has been sending them to live in Desert Hot Springs. We need to pass this measure to put more police on the streets and give the police department additional resources to monitor these individuals and keep children and families safe from the convicted criminals walking our streets.

Fiscally Responsible Plan  These measures require that:  All expenditures be subject to independent annual audits,  The public can review all city budget expenditures at local libraries,  The City of Desert Hot Springs maintains a balanced budget and reduces existing debt, and  ALL funds raised by these measures is legally required to be spent on public safety.

Questions and Discussion