CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Receive the report on the addition of a Police Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit to the proposed 2026 Annual Budget
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DEPARTMENT: Finance Department
SUBMITTED BY: Raymond Munch, Director of Finance
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
During the 2025 budget process, the Police Department submitted a budget request to establish a Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit (MCIT). The initial program request totaled $1,078,905, which included the hiring of five new police officers and one new police sergeant.
To achieve a balanced General Fund budget, the initial request was reduced to three new officers and one sergeant in the City Manager's proposed budget. This request was presented to the City Council at the second budget workshop on Oct. 22, 2024.
During the 2025 budget development process, the City faced several financial uncertainties, including the state's elimination of the grocery tax and the outcome of negotiations with public safety unions. As a result, at the Oct. 22, 2024 workshop, the MCIT request was presented as pro-rated for the final six months of 2025, contingent upon identifying a long-term funding source to replace the grocery tax by July 1.
The third and final budget workshop was held on Nov. 12, 2024. By that time, the City Council had been informed that the early stages of collective bargaining with police and fire unions had indicated higher-than-anticipated salary increases for 2025 and beyond. At the workshop, staff noted that the outcome of various financial uncertainties would require financial flexibility and the potential reprioritization of funds to support existing services. Therefore, any new additions to the budget, including MCIT, could need to be reprioritized to support public safety salary increases. At the workshop, a motion was introduced to secure funding for MCIT through a property tax levy increase; this request failed by a vote of 1-8.
On Dec. 3, 2024, the City Coun...
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