We heard yesterday(Tues) from three members of the Burlington City Council, about their views on adding another police officer to the force and how to pay for it.
Mayor Shane McCampbell says he won’t vote to raise taxes and thinks the council can come up with $75,000 in savings from other departments…Becky Anderson doesn’t want to raise taxes and would like to borrow from a reserve insurance fund…and Tim Scott is willing to back a 4.4-cent increase in the property tax levy to pay for an additional officer.
Councilmen Bob Fleming is adamantly opposed to raising property taxes and is willing to go along with City Manager Jim Ferneau’s recommendations as to where to cut to make up the $75,000 so the City can afford another cop…and Jim Davidson is all for an additional police officer, but doesn’t want to stray from the City’s plan for getting out of debt and back to fiscal health.
Nothing has been finalized yet, as the budget process continues.
