I'm hearing tonight's La Verne City Council meeting will be a sort of "do or die" session in determining whether the city moves forward with a public safety bond.

In recent months, city officials have been mulling the idea of a $20 million bond to help pay for new police and fire departments. Despite the results of a summer poll showing that nearly 60 percent of voters would likely support such a measure, La Verne council members have expressed some concerns about the bond: the cost, the burden on taxpayers, the feasibility and the timing.

Here's language straight out of the agenda for tonight's meeting (which starts at 6:30 p.m.):

7. CONTINUED BUSINESS
Public Safety Bond Measure - During the City’s strategic planning process last April, Staff and Council
identified the need for an expansion or remodel of the City’s public safety building. Funding for the
multimillion-dollar project would be a voter approved general obligation (GO) bond. Last summer,
community polling was conducted to determine the level of citizen support for such financing. In
December, Council contracted with Tramutola, a public information consultant, to develop strategies to
present a GO bond to the voters. However, at this time, the City Council’s Finance Committee does not
agree on taking a GO bond to the voters.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Per State law, 66 2/3% voter approval is required to approve a GO bond.
In past Council discussion of this matter and based on the advice of both
consultants, it was decided that without the recommendation of the
Finance Committee and the unanimous endorsement of all five Council
Members, it would not be prudent to pursue a GO bond at this time. Staff
should be directed to continue to pursue funding options to address
facility needs for the public safety departments and meet as needed with
the Finance Committee to explore possible funding options to address
long-term needs of Police and Fire.