'Operationally dependent': Port Huron asking for renewal of tax for police, fire services
When Port Huron officials talk about the city’s public safety millage, it quickly becomes a conversation about a decline in crime rates and needing funds to maintain staffing.
In 2017, when voters first approved the 3-mill tax, administrators said the alternative without the boost could mean laying off multiple police officers and firefighters, closing facilities, and more.
Now, as residents are being asked to renew the tax for another five years, that status quo in services, they said, remains their primary concern.
“Without the millage renewal, there would be very drastic changes in levels of service within the fire department,” said Fire Chief Corey Nicholson. “That would almost certainly include either browning out or closing a fire station, reduction of manpower on duty, the elimination of a lot of our tactical rescue and specialty programs — things like that. So, we are operationally dependent upon funding from the public safety millage.”
If approved during the May 2 election, the tax would be levied for a term starting July 1, raising nearly $1.9 million in its first year.
Overall, City Manager James Freed estimated the public safety tax has been split 55-45% between the police and fire departments.
At the time both that millage, as well as the 1-mill tax for parks and recreation were proposed, Freed said the boost in funding was aimed to help the city regain a larger loss in tax revenue never recovered from the economic collapse a decade prior.
And in a more minor way, Mayor Pauline Repp said that they seemingly freed up other dollars in the general fund, which also goes toward police and fire, for other priorities, such as paying down massive unfunded liabilities in retiree benefits.
Most stats show decline in crime, officials say
In an email statement, Assistant Police Chief Brian Kerrigan said their department would’ve likely reduced its staffing by three offices had the tax not passed originally.
“With the passage of the millage, we were able to increase the number of police officers working road patrol and add police officers in our schools. Without the millage, this would not have been possible,” he said. It’s a reality they couldn’t sustain, he wrote, if it’s not renewed, “which would result in a reduction of services.”
In a presentation on 2022 crime data to City Council last Monday, Police Chief Joe Platzer credited certain improvements to maintaining those services, and ultimately, millage support.
Things like criminal sexual conduct incidents, home invasions, and malicious destruction of property fell last year by 28.9%, 15.2%, and 4%, respectively, and both robberies and arson by 33.3%.
Meanwhile, there was a 7.7% increase in crime reports overall, a 29.8% hike in juvenile and adult arrests, 30% more vehicle pursuits, and marginally higher rates in larcenies and auto thefts.
According to the police department, it maintains three school resource officers at both local high schools, as well as St. Clair County Community College, multiple police dog units who were deployed 215 times in 2022, and a criminal investigative unit that includes seven detectives, a detective sergeant and lieutenant, an animal control officer, and crime analyst.
Tax dollars aren't paying for city's new fire station
Currently, Nicholson said the millage allows for eight firefighters and a battalion chief to be staffed around the clock, as well as a fire marshal and inspector to enforce local codes and evaluate building plans.
“It allows for a training officer, which is an absolute requirement in today’s fire service,” he said.
In keeping three stations — located at 3114 24th St., 515 River St., and 1914 Sanborn St. — a millage renewal would also come as the city makes major improvements to its facilities.
However, those not being funded through the public safety millage.
About $1.5 million worth of improvements were completed last year to the north-end station with American Rescue Plan funding, and crews broke ground late this winter on a new station at White Park on 10th Street.
The latter would replace the River Street central station at a cost approaching $11 million, for which the city is borrowing funds.
Last year, some residents in South Park aired concerns to city officials over losing the 24th Street station. Since then, officials have reiterated their plans have been to maintain a three-station model.
“The direction I have from my superiors within the city is that we will maintain three fire stations within the city limits,” Nicholson said. “It’s important that people realize that the millage approval and the funding that flows form the millage approval does not fund the building.”
Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 at jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Port Huron asking voters to renew public safety tax
