LEVY FOR BASIC PUBLIC SAFETY, ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND IMPROVEMENTS

Thank you to our city of Mount Vernon voters for approving Proposition 1!

Your Mayor, City staff, and City Councilmembers commit to continue to partner with you in conservatively utilizing these precious resources that will empower us all to transition our amazing city into a place that our growing population can truly be proud to call our home.

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The City of Mount Vernon provides valued community services.

Having the police show up at your door when your safety is compromised, having the fire department take you to the hospital and protect your property from fire damage, and having open spaces that are safe, well-maintained and provide recreational opportunities for all ages are services our residents have come to expect and value.

Existing service levels are threatened by a projected $6 million shortfall in 2026 and beyond.

State law requires the City to pass a balanced budget each year. This means that, like your household budget, any funding gaps must be fixed by either increasing revenue or decreasing costs and services.

The City's largest sources of revenue for operations are sales and property taxes, and the amount collected in property tax is limited by the State to 1% increases. Inflation, on the other hand, has no limit. Over the past five years (2020-2024) the consumer price index (CPI), which measures inflation, has increased an average of 5% each year, while over that time annual General Fund revenues have averaged 1% less than 2020. 

For years, the City has absorbed inflation costs by using the general fund reserves to balance the budget, but these reserves have now dwindled to levels that threaten the City's financial policies and bond ratings. To avoid service cuts this year, the City has already reduced discretionary spending to just over 5%, allowed only essential travel and training (such as public safety training), instituted hiring freezes, partnered with the county and school district for staff positions, used one-time COVID relief funds to bolster equipment reserves, and more. But none of those actions are a long-term solution. As Mount Vernon's population continues to grow, so will the demand for service.

It doesn't have to be this way. With increased funding, the City could have proactive policing, an enhanced critical fire response, and safe and vibrant park spaces.

In early 2025, the Mount Vernon Police Department (MVPD) was able to address significant crime issues in the City's north commercial area (around Safeway and Hobby Lobby). Emphasis patrols resulted in 120 proactive cases and 71 arrests, making the area safer for all users. This is the exception and not the rule because, right now, this effort was only possible using dedicated officers on overtime. Current staff levels have forced our officers to be reactive rather than proactive. With increased funding, MVPD would have the staffing resources to run more emphasis patrols and fill specialty positions.

For Fire Departments, the industry aspiration is having a 4-minute response time to any emergency call within City limits. To achieve this, the Mount Vernon Fire Department (MVFD) needs enough people on shift to handle the 8,000+ emergency calls they receive each year and access to reliable, life-saving equipment. With increased funding, the MVFD could fully staff its last remaining partially-staffed fire station to increase the Fire Department’s 4-minute response time coverage by a projected 33% citywide. Unfortunately, to balance the 2025 budget the Mount Vernon Fire Department had to cut $90,000 from their training program, froze hiring on “non-essential”, but critical positions, and may have to delay getting over $2.25 million worth of life-safety equipment that is due to be replaced in the next few years. 

In 2024, as part of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces (PROS) Plan update process, the residents had a chance to share what is needed to meet the needs of the growing Mount Vernon community. Many in our community wanted the same things: "more family activities", making "playgrounds, the skate park, and walking paths a high priority", and a general "focus on making parks safer". With increased funding, Parks could work on clearing the backlog of deferred maintenance and capital projects and finally concentrate on the things our community has told us is important to them.

The Levy for Basic Public Safety, Essential Services, and Improvements is a long-term, low-cost solution.

If the levy passes, we could increase our ability to police proactively by hiring 6 new police officers (and fully outfit them with vehicles and equipment), enhance critical fire services by hiring 6 additional firefighters, AND maintain and improve Parks and Recreation services by creating a dedicated funding source that'll keep pace with growing demands.

For a median home valued at $550,000, the increase would be about $1 per day for improved Public Safety and Parks in our City.