1 citizens for effective government proposal to our joint city / county elected officials on how to...

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Citizens for Citizens for Effective GovernmentEffective Government

Proposal To Our Joint City / Proposal To Our Joint City / County Elected Officials County Elected Officials

On How To Address Our On How To Address Our Regional Public Health And Regional Public Health And

Safety CrisisSafety Crisis

June 27, 2008

22Prevention Protection InvestigationPrevention Protection Investigation

Citizens for Effective Citizens for Effective GovernmentGovernment

…is a group of citizens,

businesses, community and

nonprofit organizations, working

in concert with our local

government officials, to provide

collaborative leadershipcollaborative leadership

in addressingaddressing the critical needscritical needs

of the region.


Citizens for Effective Citizens for Effective GovernmentGovernment

Concerned Citizens Pikes Peak Association of

REALTORS ® Greater Colorado Springs

Chamber of Commerce Pikes Peak United Way Economic Development

Corporation Housing and Building

Association of Colorado Springs

Health Care Professionals

Downtown Partnership Council of Neighbors

and Organizations Trails and Open Space

Coalition Leadership Pikes Peak Pikes Peak Behavioral

Health Group Colorado Springs

Firefighters Association Citizens for Public

Health Local Businesses

44

Agenda For Today Review of the growing problem with our

community's Health and Public Safety

CEG Perspective of the need for a solution:– Jan Doran - Public Safety

– C.J. Moore - Public Health

CEG recommendation and rationale

Proposed funding plan to achieve success

Council / BOCC Input, questions & comments


Regional Public Regional Public HealthHealth And And SafetySafety Crisis Crisis

66

County Crime Trends Increasing

– Criminal Trespassing & Home Invasions up 52%

– Robberies up 43%

– Sex Crimes up 17%

– Assaults up 28%

– Restraining Order Violations up 33%--many times resulting in death

Prevention Protection InvestigationPrevention Protection Investigation

Regional Public Regional Public SafetySafety Crisis Crisis


One Sheriff’s deputy for every 65 prisoners

Forced to mix non-violent inmates with violent, creating volatile environment

No new Sheriff patrols since 1990, while– County population up 43%– Calls for service up 137%– Nat’l Sheriff’s Ass’n: 29 new deputies – NIC: Jail needs 30 additional deputies


88

Sheriff Patrol FTEs per 100,000 Unincorporated Population

020406080

100120140160180200220240

She

riff

Par

tols

FTE

s

10-County Budget Survey Sep 2006

99

Regional Public Regional Public SafetySafety Crisis CrisisRegional Fire Management at Risk

–CS Fire Department struggling to maintain 8-minute response times Workload increased 72%Areas of the City are underservedNorth & South insufficient fire stations

–Wild Land Fire response inadequatePersonnel & equipment to fight fires in

County under-funded



Regional Public Regional Public SafetySafety Crisis Crisis Colorado Springs Police had no officers

to respond to nearly half of calls

– Criminal Mischief 65 min response time

– Hit and Run 36 minutes

– Theft 47 minutes

Dropped 911 calls at 640 per week

Other municipalities same challenges



Coroner

– Serves entire Pikes Peak Region

– Autopsy caseload doubled since 1997

No increase in staff for autopsies or accident scenes

– Facility is unsafe and substandard

– Staff Put at Risk

1212

District Attorney

– Criminals released back into communityMany re-arrested numerous times Courts cannot meet the demands

– Deputy DAs simultaneously handle 250 felony cases

– Unfunded yet mandated 5 new courts to be staffed in next 2 years



1313

Regional Public Regional Public HealthHealth Crisis Crisis


Public Health Department serves the entire Pikes Peak Region

– Funding for Public Health has decreased by 31% since 2001

– Infectious disease reported from our region has increased 200% since 2000

– So far in 2008, public health workers have stopped 23 serious outbreaks


1515

Public Health inspections limited due to lack of staffing and funding

– Increase in child-care facility health and safety complaints and violations

– Insufficient public pool inspections - six closed in '07 for E. coli contamination

– Unable to meet state requirements of inspecting Retail Food Establishments twice per year



1616

Public Public HealthHealth Crisis Crisis

Unable To Meet Community Expectations

– Protection from infectious diseases in our community a priority

– Prevent Disease / Give immunizations

– Protect Our kids - keep child-care facilities and swimming pools safe

– Keep food safe

– Stop potential epidemics and contagious diseases before they become a crisis


1717

Budget Crisis !Budget Crisis !


Sales Tax Rates Sales Tax Rates for Colorado Cities for Colorado Cities (2007)(2007)

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

Per

cen

t


El Paso County Has The LowestThe Lowest Property Tax Per Person In Colorado

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

$350

$400

$450

Rev

enue

per

Cap

ita

Property Tax Specific Ownership Tax Fees For Services

1/3 of the Average


County Mill Levy Rate Continues To Decline While The Cost Of

Government Is Rapidly Increasing

7

8

9

10

11

12

Co

un

ty M

ill L

evy

Mill Levy


Are We In A Crisis ?Are We In A Crisis ?

Crime continues to rise

Longer emergency response times

Sheriff forced to release criminals

DA unable to prosecute non-felony crimes

Unable to investigate health complaints

Public safety and health providers unable to adequately protect citizens

Businesses report safety is a growing concern / jobs will go elsewhere

2222

This Is A Regional Issue !This Is A Regional Issue ! County Jail:

– 85% of criminals in jail City residents

District Attorney Office– 95% of cases prosecuted City residents

Health Department– 90% of cases City residents

Coroner's Office– 85% of case load City Residents

2323

CEG Perspective

Time for a solution !

Jan Doran - Public SafetyJan Doran - Public Safety

C.J. Moore - Public HealthC.J. Moore - Public Health


CEG RecommendationCEG Recommendation To go to the voters in November and ask To go to the voters in November and ask

them them to support A 1% sales tax for health to support A 1% sales tax for health and public safetyand public safety

Dedicated to Public Safety & Health with specified projects, as with PPRTA

Mill levy increase was considered but not recommended because:– Current situation with housing market– Gallagher restrictions– The size of the increase to meet needs– Burden not spread to visitors

Safer Community InitiativeSafer Community InitiativeCapital ProjectsCapital Projects

Capital Needs: 153.5 M1. Regional Criminal Justice Center (Max & Medium)

2. Regional Sheriff’s Ops, Training & Coroner Facility

3. Regional Work Release Facility

4. State Mandated Court Expansion

5. Regional Judicial Complex

6. Sheriff Emergency Vehicle Storage Facility

7. Emergency Operations Facility/Data Center

8. Joint Public Safety Substation (Fountain, Sheriff)

9. Joint Public Safety Substation (CSPD and Sheriff)

1. Public Safety / Police & Fire - City of C. S. 34.0 %34.0 %

2. Criminal Justice Center - Operations 17.5 %17.5 %

3. Regional Public Health Department 23 %23 %

4. Other Municipalities (Population Based) 13.5 %13.5 %

5. Drug Abuse Enforcement & Prevention 2.5 % 2.5 %

6. District Attorney 5.0 %5.0 %

7. Regional Coroner/Medical Examiner 2.5 %2.5 %

8. Regional Office of Emergency Management 2.0 %2.0 %

Safer Community InitiativeSafer Community InitiativeOperational NeedsOperational Needs


Proposed Funding Plan To Achieve Success (50 / 50 / 10)

Capital 50% / 50% / 10% ….. Sunset

Allows for capital to be a pay as you go

Eliminates Millions in interest payments

Give operational areas time to ramp up

Quickly Addresses most urgent needs

Completes Capital in about 12 years

CEG Requests CEG Requests

City and County City and County

Support forSupport for

Safer Community Safer Community

InitiativeInitiative

2929

City Council and City Council and Board of County Board of County CommissionersCommissioners

Input, Questions & Comments

1 citizens for effective government proposal to our joint city / county elected officials on how to...

Documents

doran public safety

risk slide

public safety ceg perspective

public health local

county underfunded slide

questions comments slide

communitys health

group of citizens