Mayor Andy Weissman and City Councilman Jim Clarke recently finished their citywide tour by sitting down with residents of Raintree to discuss Measure Y.
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Councilman Jim Clarke, left, with Mayor Andy Weissman. Photo by Deborah Weinrauch
That is the half-cent city sales tax on the Nov. 6 ballot to maintain essential Culver City services – such as 9-1-1 emergency responses, paramedics, police and fire protection, funding for sidewalk and street repairs, parks, and programs for seniors and after-schoolers.
Emergency responses from the Culver City Fire Dept. and Police Dept. are critical to the community.
Over the past three years, the Fire Dept. answered 4400 emergency calls. Average response time, including travel, was less than five minutes. Emergency 9-1-1 responses from the Police Dept. averaged three minutes.
Where health or security is at stake, response is everything.
Compare Culver City with Los Angeles City and County.
According to the County Transportation Dept., the city and county fire agencies agreed in 1979 to link their dispatching operations to save lives and cut costs.
A Los Angeles Times analysis of more than 1 million Los Angeles Fire Dept. responses over the last five years shows the agency rarely reaches across jurisdictional lines for county help.
One result: 9-1-1 callers within a quarter mile of the city border are nearly 50 percent likelier to wait more than 10 minutes for rescue crews to arrive.
According to national standards embraced by the LAFD, firefighters are supposed to arrive in under six minutes to almost all medical emergencies.”
“Measure Y is absolutely the most important item on the November ballot,” said Mayor Weissman. “Maintaining the quality of life we enjoy in Culver City is precisely what Measure Y is all about. Culver City is at a critical juncture. Despite reducing city payroll, expenses, pensions and benefits, unless City revenues are increased, the City Council will need to make further significant cuts to public safety and other essential city services.
“Voting yes on Measure Y will help us maintain current staffing levels, help us to maintain Culver City’s stellar 9-1-1 response times and save lives.”
If passed, Measure Y will generate approximately $8 million annually – with the majority of revenue coming from non-residents shopping and dining in Culver City. The $8 million will help solve the city’s fiscal emergency, protect and maintain police and fire services, park and recreation programs, and street and sidewalk maintenance.
For more on Measure Y, see http://www.yesonY.com.
