Dear Editor,
I would like to express my support for Measure O, the Sales Tax Measure that will be on the November 8th ballot. With the current economy locally and in the State of California, we must do something to keep Oakdale the viable city that it has been. Sales tax is down and the property tax has fallen due to the lowering of home values and foreclosed homes. Also, the State has raided the local coffers to try and make up what they are losing.
We here in Oakdale pride ourselves on the way the city looks and responds to emergencies. We need to maintain all of our services at a level that provides the citizens of Oakdale a safe and secure lifestyle.
We are proud of the Police and Fire services here in the city. There have been significant cuts in both departments. The present level of service will decline if there are any more cuts to those departments. It is not their fault. It’s just a fact of life.
We must also continue to support the other services, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and other miscellaneous departments in the city.
Measure O will help maintain all departments in the city. It is a 3-year, half-percent sales tax within the city limits of Oakdale. Funds created by this measure cannot be taken by the State of California. It will include a strict fiscal accountability through a resident oversight committee, mandatory financial audits, and yearly reports to the community. The measure will end in three years and cannot be extended or changed without taking it back to the voters.
Please, on November 8th, join me and countless others and vote for Measure O.
Thank you,
Bill Houk
Former Fire Chief, City of Oakdale