August 9, 2022 Hayden City Council Meeting Regarding a Levy Proposal

August 9, 2022 Hayden City Council Meeting Regarding a Levy Proposal

First of all, I want to assure my constituents that I am for the sheriff and I am so glad that we have a constitutional sheriff to protect us. Having well equipped law enforcement is important. Our sheriff and his deputies are to be commended for the great job they do.

The past few months, the Hayden City Council has been working on the draft budget for the upcoming year. We addressed the needs of the sheriff and even added $300,000 to the budget so we could have 3 additional deputies. I also suggested in a previous meeting with the Hayden Urban Renewal Agency that one of their future projects should be a second station for the sheriff on the north side of town.

Yes, we need to help support our local sheriff and give him more money. But I feel that as your representative we need to take the time to look at the budget, see where we can trim down some in other areas, and come up with a plan that really helps our community. I was even hoping that we could trim our budget a little bit and only increase 2% instead of the maximum allowed 3%, thus trimming $18,000 from other areas, and yet still support our sheriff with the increase he needs.

If, after careful study, we find that a levy override, increasing over the 3% limit, is the only solution to funding our law enforcement, then I would need to have the facts to vote for it with confidence. I felt like the recommendation that we put a levy override on the ballot was rushed and unclear.

I feel like my job as your councilwoman is to ask the hard questions and make some hard decisions in order to protect and serve the people of Hayden.

Together for Hayden, Sandy #cityofhayden #haydenidaho