Why is the City Council proposing Measure O?

Since the City’s incorporation in 1987, West Sacramento has added 30,000 residents, more than 1,000 new businesses and over 10,000 new daily work and commuter trips. This progress has created economic opportunities for the community and improved the quality of life for our residents, adding new jobs as well as dining, shopping, entertainment, and recreational amenities. As West Sacramento continues to grow and our infrastructure ages, the City Council must regularly evaluate the need for enhancements to essential services to ensure that the City is meeting community needs.

For decades, the City has made substantial investments in public safety, road repairs, park maintenance and critical infrastructure projects. However, as the demand for municipal services has increased, the costs of providing those services has outpaced the availability of new revenue, mainly due to the fiscal challenges of aging infrastructure and historically high maintenance costs.

The City Council has made it a priority to keep pace with the service expectations of our residents and to elevate the City’s standards related to essential services, including public safety and maintenance. The Council elected to place Measure O on the November 2024 ballot to provide a long-term, sustainable funding source to address this priority.

The City Council adopted Resolution and Ordinance approving the measure language and placing the measure on the ballot can be viewed here.

What has the City Council funded with past measures?

The City’s current ¼ cent funding measures include Measure K (2003), Measure V (2008), Measure E (2016) and Measure N (2018). These past measures have funded numerous City programs and projects related to roads, public safety, parks, childcare, flood protection, transportation, homelessness, and other important initiatives. The City Council receives annual reports on the use of these funds to confirm they are being expended according to their voter-approved uses and to assure that the funds maximize benefit to West Sacramento residents.

Annual reports for funding measures can be viewed here.

Past funding measure expenditures can be viewed in this comprehensive summary

What budget priorities could the City Council address with Measure O?

The City’s current budget is challenged to maintain basic standards for operations and maintenance, especially as our population continues to increase. The City currently has minimally acceptable staffing levels in key operational departments such as Police, Fire, Public Works, and Parks to maintain the status quo, but it lacks the budget capacity to raise our standards through increased services. Measure O will create a dedicated funding source for operations and maintenance, allowing the City to meet residents’ expectations by providing higher-quality municipal services, infrastructure, and facilities. The City Council intends to address the following priorities with Measure O revenue:

Public safety

The City’s police and fire departments are facing ongoing recruitment and retention challenges, resulting in gaps in adequate staffing.

· The response time for high priority police calls is as high as 16 minutes

· Since 2012, fire department call volumes grew by 45%

Road repairs and potholes

Despite the City’s ongoing efforts to address road repairs, including filling more than 2,100 potholes since January 1, 2023, there is a significant gap to meet current and future needs. It is estimated that an additional 10 maintenance workers are needed to properly address potholes and road maintenance needs on a sustainable basis.

· Between 2018-2023, the City has experienced a 311% increase in pothole reports.

Parks and trails

Over the past 15 years, the City has added many new parks and trails for the community to enjoy, resulting in additional maintenance needs to ensure these public spaces remain safe and attractive. The following amenities have been added since 2008:

· 53.6 acres of park space in 12 new parks

· 12.5 miles of trails

· 16 public art pieces

· 58,000 square feet of new facilities including the Recreation Center and Community Center

How could the City Council utilize Measure O funding?

If Measure O is passed by voters, the City Council will utilize the funding strictly for increasing the level of essential services provided by the City, including road and pothole repairs, police and fire protection, parks and trails maintenance, homelessness response, and keeping public spaces safe and clean. The City Council has initially identified some opportunities that could be accomplished nearly immediately with a portion of these funds, including:

· Implementation of several road rehabilitation projects, including Sacramento Avenue, Jefferson Boulevard, Southport Parkway and Harbor/Industrial Boulevard

· Creation of a dedicated road maintenance team with staff and equipment solely for repairing potholes and completing road repair projects

· Restoration of staffing for fire Engine 45, creating positions for up to 12 additional firefighters and improving city-wide fire response times

· Several new police officer positions, creating a 20% increase in police patrol shifts

· Increased personnel to maintain parks, trails, roads, sidewalks and facilities