Gerald voters will be asked to decide on April 8 whether a new one cent sales tax should replace a similar tax that will expire at the end of the year.

The tax that will be expiring was dedicated to street maintenance. The new tax would be dedicated to the police department.

City Administrator Nick Grube noted that there would be no change to the tax rate at all.  The tax would simply provide funds to a different department.

For a couple of years, the city has been trying to hire a fifth police officer for its current five-man force. There have been few applicants.

Police Chief Jim Helton believes this is due directly to the pay the city can currently offer.

“Gerald’s beginning pay for a police officer is $16.80 an hour with the top pay for an officer in the department capped at $21 an hour,” Helton explained. “New Haven’s lowest pay for an officer is $26 an hour. We can’t compete with that.”

It is tough to provide 24-hour coverage with only a four-man department (and that includes the chief). Sick days, holidays, vacations and personal time mean officers work a lot of overtime.

There is no room in the current budget to allow for providing competitive pay.

Social media has been full of comments, many incorrect, about this tax proposal.

The most concerning is the remark that this issue was cloaked in some kind of secrecy. That is not the case. The issue first arose at the Sept. 12 meeting of the Board of Aldermen and was duly recorded in their minutes. It was again discussed in open meetings in October, November, December and January. These discussions were also included in the minutes.

A second issue concerns Proposition P tax collections. This proposition, commonly referred to as Prop P, was voted in across the county to improve officers’ pay. At least one citizen vastly overstated how much money the police department receives from Prop P taxes.

Prop P taxes are collected and held by the Franklin County Treasurer. They are then distributed to the municipalities in the county. There is about a two-month lag in distributing the funds. For example, Prop P revenues collected in October 2023 were sent to the city in January 2024.

The total of Prop P funds sent to the city in 2024 was $67,571.84.

While the Prop P funds enabled the city to increase officers’ pay, it did not give them an advantage in recruitment since all other towns in the county were also able to increase police pay.

Helton has noted in the past that he believes a fifth officer is vital to helping his department serve the growing town. Gerald’s population is increasing and further growth is projected. He believes the police department must grow with the town.

City officials have been invited to Meet the Candidates March 26 at the Depot in Legion Park to answer questions on the issue. The Gerald Area Chamber of Commerce will host the event which is open to the public.