DiscoverRiverside proposes an increase in the city’s income tax to fund police and fire services
Two citizens spoke about the city’s proposed income tax hike at Thursday’s meeting. One woman said she feared the income tax hike, which was meant for police and firefighters, was just a way to raise taxes while diverting funds.
Another Riverside resident, Freda Patterson, said she felt that rising taxes didn’t mean the city council could stop being careful with the general fund.
“I myself see that a fire service and police fee goes by much faster than a tax increase of 1% on the income tax,” she said. “If a fire brigade and police fee should be put on the ballot and passed, I mean – the general fund still needs to be budgeted wisely.”
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Patterson said she also wants to see transparency from the city and make sure residents get the 100 percent tax credit under the new tax law.
Interim city manager Chris Lohr said the proceeds from the reduced income tax credit that citizens are currently paying have been used primarily for capital improvements, such as the purchase of two new fire trucks for the fire department.
“I know that it is controversial in the community, but it is definitely something that was necessary for us to be able to continue daily operations,” said Lohr about the reduction in income tax.
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Lohr said he hoped the community would support the new tax as it would help transform the fire department from a mixed part-time full-time department to a full-time department, something current fire chief Dan Stitzel said it was was necessary to keep firefighters from being overloaded and would help with recruiting.
Stitzel said June was the busiest month in the department’s history.