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50 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, April 18, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 17, 2005 Since You Asked Phoenix bolsters police, fire Watching plans for Home Depot develop in Phoenix has me wondering about the city’s budget. When residents passed a five-year police and fire levy in 2003, we were told it would allow us to get additional police and fire personnel and services. What added resources has Phoenix provided with this money? Why isn’t police and fire protection paid for out of the general fund, like it is in Ashland? How does a resident and taxpayer get a copy of the budget? — Sheri S., Phoenix During this budget year, the city has hired a new police officer, giving the department 11 employees, including the chief and clerks, reports City Recorder and Treasurer Betty Smith. It’s also hired one firefighter, bringing that department’s staff to six. In the proposed budget for next year, which will be introduced to the budget committee April 28, money is set aside for another police officer and another firefighter, as well as a police car and a fire department command vehicle, Smith said. Without the levy, the city would have had to lay off three people in the police department and the same number in the fire department. After November 1996’s Measure 47 cut property taxes and capped tax increases, the city’s general fund provides only partial support for police and fire departments. Since 1997, Phoenix has relied on a series of levies to maintain and expand service. For more information, and your very own copy of the city budget, stop by City Hall, 510 W. First St. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoo Tatoos Advertisement s