Rep. Baca: San Bernardino in line to receive $5.4 million in COPS funding
Rep. Joe Baca's office reported Tuesday that the city will receive $5.4 million from the U.S. Justice Department to hire police officers.
Within San Bernardino County, Chino, Colton, Ontario, Redlands and Rialto were also awarded funds, according to the Justice Department. The money can be used to keep officers on a city police force for three years, and then cities are on the hook to pay the new cops' salaries.
"In three years, with hopefully the economic recovery underway, revenue from sales tax and especially Measure Z, would pick up that funding," Mayoral Chief of Staff Jim Morris said.
Morris said San Bernardino will be able to use the grant to hire 16 officers.
San Bernardino had asked for more than $6 million to fill 22 Police Department positions that have been allowed to go unfilled as a result of budget cuts.
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Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
Why is it that Morris is ALWAYS concerned with federal grants, as opposed to earning our own way? I'm ALWAYS up for more cops; however, we must find a way to support ourselves. Why don't we have people working for the city who concentrate on how to make us money? That would be a good new position to create. A grant here and there is great, but we can't live on them as our main source of funding.
Just Me:
Prop 218 limits cities to cost only on charges. Their income is in the form of taxes and fees( which are to be based on costs only, if you can believe that).
They are not to spend beyond their incomes on this basis. They are not to engage in private enterprise or compete with private business ( theoretically--See tow yard issue)in which they tax or regulate, creating "conflict of interest".
This is of course is just a fantasy at city hall, not reality.
New fees are just guestimates and over stated. If they are costs only, they should change yearly, not every 5 years or so. Makes the first years questionable doesn't it??
HHHMMMMMMMMMMM?
THis will be interesting to see if this money will go to the new PD Chief and allow him to utilize these funds as intended. OR...will Mayor Morris redirect these funds for one of his "special projects" as he has done before and is known to do.