I oppose the plan presently being discussed by the City Council, which calls for borrowing millions of dollars – and  spending millions more in interest on that borrowing - to build a new police station.  Thought should be given to renovating the existing space and utilizing other city facilities to address any legitimate Police Department space needs, not mere space “wants.”

This country, our community included, is in the midst of a crushing economic crisis with no end in sight.  For the second year in a row the City budget will likely show another million dollar-plus deficit, even after significant cut-backs in such important infrastructure needs as street paving and relief sewer installation.  Many Park Ridge homes are already in foreclosure or on the brink.  In that kind of environment, throwing multi-millions of dollars – and twenty years of additional bonded debt – at a new police station borders on financial insanity.

Although the design and layout of the current facility is unsatisfactory in several respects, no hard evidence has been produced that a new, larger facility would substantially improve the Police Department's crime-fighting performance or its service to our residents.  And because our Police Department regularly wins awards and does such a commendable job of protecting the City’s residents, I believe our scarce funds could be better used to provide police personnel with improved equipment and training to help them do their jobs more safely and efficiently.
 
Even though I sincerely believe a substantial majority of Park Ridge taxpayers agree with me on this issue, I nevertheless proposed a City Council resolution to give the voters a measurable voice in the matter through an advisory referendum on the April 7, 2009 ballot – a proposal that the City Council refused to even second or discuss at its December 1, 2008, meeting.  But a group of public-spirited citizens led a successful petition drive and put that issue on the ballot anyway; and I salute them for doing so. 

After that citizens’ referendum was already on the ballot, however, the City Council added a second police station referendum question to the ballot, one that in my opinion is as vague and ambiguous as the citizens’ question is clear and direct.  Nevertheless, I look forward to the results of those referendum questions as the best available indicator of how the taxpaying voters of this community view a new police station in the light of all the other demands on our tax dollars.