On July 26, 2016, the Temecula City Council voted unanimously to place the City of Temecula Emergency Response, Public Safety, and Vital City Services Measure on the November 2016 ballot.   

Temecula has a proud tradition of high-quality local services and well-managed finances. People live in Temecula because it offers a better quality of life and better services than some other cities in the valley. If approved by the voters, Measure S will provide funds to maintain public safety and 911 emergency response services, keep our roads, parks and infrastructure in good condition, and provide other vital services and programs that make Temecula a desirable place to live, work and do business.

As indicated in the July 26th staff report below, over 80% of calls for service to the Temecula Fire Department are related to medical emergencies that firefighters and paramedics need to respond to quickly. Temecula is currently nine officers below the recommended number for its current population, and that number will continue to rise as the population grows. As the State continues to release parolees to alleviate prison overcrowding, the City wishes to maintain public safety. Measure S will help maintain neighborhood safety, including emergency and police response times and school safety patrols.

If enacted, Measure S would generate locally-controlled funds to maintain 9-1-1 emergency response times, prevent cuts to local paramedic, police, fire protection, school safety patrols, youth/after-school, senior, disabled services, improve freeway interchanges, reduce traffic and provide for other general services.

Increasingly, the State has shifted responsibility for many programs to cities like Temecula, while taking funding away at the same time. In the last five years alone, Sacramento has taken $31 million from the City. Funds generated by Measure S will be spent entirely on local essential services that benefit our community and that by law cannot be taken by State government.

Measure S includes strict accountability provisions, including annual independent financial audits, public review of expenditures, and ensures that all funds remain in Temecula and cannot be taken by Sacramento. These fiscal safeguards ensure local funds continue to be used efficiently, effectively and as promised. 

If enacted by the voters, Measure S will add 1 cent per dollar to be spent locally in Temecula only, without being subject to State takeaways, increasing the existing rate from 8% to 9%.

For more information about the City’s budget, Measure S and maintaining Temecula’s vital services and quality of life, please review the information below.