Parma City Council encourages passage of Issue 78

10/2/2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2012

Contact: Jeannie Roberts (440) 885-8181/(216) 346-9935 

PARMA, Ohio -- On Monday, Parma City Council voted unanimously to pass a resolution encouraging the renewal of the 2-mill Parma Police levy – Issue 78 on November’s ballot. The renewal is necessary to approach full staffing levels, acquire new equipment, take advantage of up-to-date training, and continue support for programs such as the annual Safety Fair, Honor Guard, Citizens Police Academy and the K-9 unit. Every Council member co-sponsored the resolution.

The renewal of the levy would continue to pay for much-needed equipment and to help keep Parma at safe staffing levels. The department is currently at 102 officers; the goal of the department is 110 officers. Even at 110, which would give Parma 1.34 officers per 1,000 residents, the state’s seventh-largest city would still be one of the lowest-staffed police departments per capita in Cuyahoga County.

Passage of Issue 78 would not increase costs to homeowners over the current levy, which would stay at about 17 cents per day or about $70 per year on a $100,000 house. The levy has provided $3.5 million for the police department in 2011, $3.2 million in 2010 and $3.8 million in 2009; the department’s total operating budget is $9.2 million.

Mayor Tim DeGeeter is also squarely behind the renewal effort. “Keeping a safe community is Priority One, and our officers put themselves out there every day and night to make that happen,” he said. “The levy helps to pay for direct safety enhancement and technological advancements to help the crime-fighting effort. We need the levy to keep Parma safe.”

Issue 78 has been endorsed by the Parma Sun Post, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #15, and Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association.