Survey: Fairfield Residents Want To Maintain Police Levels

In a March survey released to Fairfield City Councilmembers last night, Fairfield residents across the city voiced their support for maintaining police levels and 9-1-1 response times.

According to the Fairfield Deputy City Manager's office:

The survey was conducted March 15 through March 19 by opinion research firm Godbe Research with 405 residents across the community.  The City of Fairfield commissioned the survey to evaluate the Fairfield community’s views related to the City’s fiscal challenges, general City services, and attitudes toward a potential local funding measure.

Maintaining crime, drug, and gang prevention programs was the top priority at 77%, as was maintaining rapid 9-1-1 emergency response times (75%) and neighborhood police patrols at current levels (71%).  Preventing reductions in fire protection scored 71% when asked about maintaining the existing five fire companies and preventing firefighter layoffs.  Preventing the youth center from being closed and the after-school programs for children and teens from being cut also ranked important at 76%.

The funding measure mentioned refers to a 1 percent sales tax increase in Fairfield to fund city programs.

 CIty manager Sean Quinn had this to say in a press release this morning:

“With Fairfield facing so many difficult budget decisions due to Sacramento take-aways – over $44 million in just the last three years – it was important to have community feedback on what our service priorities must be,” stated City Manager Sean Quinn.  “The survey results confirm the City Council’s position that maintaining public safety is the number one concern of our residents and that there is community support to take steps to evaluate what options the City has to curb or prevent future cuts from happening.”

 The Sacramento take-aways he refers to are years of state siphoning of local funds due to state budget problems. The most recent, local governments contend, is the elimination of redevelopment agencies, which have forced many cities into hard times.

What do you think? Are these good priorities for Fairfield? Are you in support of paying 1 percent more in sales tax when you shop in Fairfield?