Fail: 3950 / 62.07% Yes votes ...... 2414 / 37.93% No votes

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The City operates both police and fire departments that serve the City. Both departments employ a significant number of full-time employees. The City provides equipment and stations for both departments. The City also operates other departments that run programs that contribute to the maintenance of public safety in the community. The proceeds from the extended tax will be used only to purchase, operate and maintain equipment for public-safety services, to pay salaries of police and fire personnel, and to provide funding for other public-safety services expenses, such as youth violence prevention and intervention programs and services, and emergency preparedness supplies and services.

The extended tax will "sunset" after 20 years and cannot be renewed without a future vote. It will be imposed on the occupants of residential and non-residential property within the City based on estimated usage of public-safety services. The amount of the tax will be based on the use of the property and parcel size, as set forth in Measure K.

The extended tax will be adjusted annually in accordance with the Consumer Price Index and any annual adjustment would be capped at 3%.

The extended tax will become effective ten days following the council certification of the election and would terminate twenty years later.

As with the 2004-approved public-safety services tax, the extended tax will not be imposed on unimproved parcels, and a refund will be available for unoccupied improved residential parcels. The owner of the property will be required to collect the tax from the occupant (if the occupant is different from the owner) and remit the tax to the City. The City will be authorized, to contract with Alameda County to collect the tax on the property tax rolls.

As the City Council did with the 2004-approved public-safety services tax, if the extended tax is enacted, a low income exemption from the tax will apply for the duration of the tax.

If this measure does not receive at least two-thirds approval of those voting, the measure will fail and the City will not be authorized to collect the extended and enhanced public-safety tax, and the 2004-approved public-safety tax will expire in March of 2009.

s/MICHAEL S. RIBACK
City Attorney of Union City

The Argus

• Down to the wire on Measure K - 6/01/08

However, the 2004 measure expires in 2009. It is imperative for the continued safety of our residents that Measure K on the June 3, 2008 ballot be approved with your YES vote. Measure K enables the City to increase personnel in our police and fire departments, add new youth and gang related intervention programs and improve our emergency response in case of an earthquake.

The value of Measure K is that revenue generated in Union City stays in Union City to serve Union City. Youth and gang violence is escalating throughout the East Bay. With your YES vote we will have funding to increase school safety by placing 2 School Resource Officers in our middle schools. Your YES vote also protects our neighborhoods by funding 3 additional police officers for patrol.

A YES vote on Measure K generates funding for 2 additional firefighters. This allows full utilization of our ladder truck for rescue operations. Measure K provides funding for Union City's emergency preparedness. It gives us revenue to purchase important lifesaving equipment and provide extensive training to prepare for an earthquake or other disaster.

Your YES vote on Measure K addresses youth and gang violence by expanding our intervention counseling programs, locating a family resource center and establishing new violence prevention programs. Measure K generates $4.6 million in public safety revenue that stays in Union City. Measure K means local control of our public safety services. Our police and fire departments need your continued support. Voting YES on Measure K is the responsibility of all voters. We urge you to make Union City a safer place to live and vote YES on Measure K.

s/ MARK GREEN
s/ MANUEL FERNANDEZ
s/ JIM NAVARRO
s/ RICHARD VALLE
s/ CAROL DUTRA-VERNACI

(No arguments against Measure K were submitted)