The Truth About Measure U

  • Designed use

    To maintain and enhance Public Safety

  • Actual use

    Allows general fund monies, previously allocated to Public Safety, to be used for non-Public Safety items.

  • Consequences of misuse

    Public Safety resources and employees remain understaffed and underpaid. Your firefighters remain 17.5% behind in pay when compared to the local market average pay and are experiencing a significant recruitment and retention issue. Recurring recruitment and retention issues jeopardizes your safety, affects response times, and trains firefighters who leave or other departments.

City council is not prioritizing your safety, response times, and the wellbeing of your firefighters

A robust fire department is crucial to adequately respond to your emergencies. Whether your loved one is having a medical emergency, your house is on fire, or your child is trapped in vehicle after a collision, firefighters must be ready to respond. When you call 911, you deserve responding firefighters to be property equipped, staffed, and adequately paid so their one and only focus is how to make a bad situation better. The decision-making abilities by our professional firefighters are often life and death decisions. City Council and City Hall view your firefighters and your emergencies as an expense and not a high enough priority for adequate funding. It’s time to demand the services you deserve.

Measure U 2018 - APPROVED by 74.18%

You, the voters, spoke. You demanded that Public Safety be a priority. Every day, you pay and extra 1% sales tax on all of your purchases in the city and online. In 2024, fire department staffing is almost at the level recommended in 2000. Nearly a quarter century late is unacceptable. Firefighter pay has not been “maintained” in market, it has fallen to 17.5% behind the average pay. Furthermore, a Fire Captain earns 21.9% less than their Police Department counterparts (Seargent).