Photo Credit - Plymouth Police Department
A public safety-centered referendum question will be added to the November ballot in the City of Plymouth.
Plymouth’s Common Council has voted to add the question, which will ask residents whether they support a permanent $600,000 increase in the City’s budget for the Police Department to add three additional patrol officers, give current staff a raise, and purchase two additional squad cars.
If passed, this permanent increase will be funded entirely by raising the already increasing property taxes of Plymouth residents.
The Plymouth Police Department states that these additions, and in turn increased spending, are necessary due to a growing population and a police force that has not grown since 1997.
This comes as the department also stated, “To be clear, this increase does not reflect rising crime; Plymouth’s violent and property crime rates remain well below state and national averages.”
If approved by voters in the November election, the property taxes would begin increasing when bills are issued in December of this year.
More information on the matter can be found at plymouthwi.gov.
