Last modified: Thursday, February 28, 2008 10:25 AM PST City leaders debate funding issues By William Lundquist Argus Observer Ontario — At the conclusion of a special Ontario City Council meeting on the proposed police department levy Wednesday morning, council members agreed to meet with members of the city’s budget committee to search for any available funding to hire a gang enforcement officer. Council members also agreed to form a revenue committee to look at all possible solutions to the city’s long-term funding problems. Ontario City Councilman Lewie Allen, who opposes any tax levy or surcharge to fund the police department’s request for one gang enforcement officer and one traffic enforcement officer, said he came up with the idea of digging the necessary funding out of the existing budget, even if that means making other cuts. Ontario Mayor Joe Dominick and Ontario Budget Committee Vice Chairman Gary Halcom jumped aboard Allen’s train so quickly, however, it was hard to tell who was steering it. Halcom and Dominick thought it was a perfect time for a mid-budget review. Dominick, in fact, thought the budget committee had previously approved funding for an additional position that could be used to hire a gang officer. It took a quick consultation with Ontario Finance Director Rachel Hopper to figure out the request for that position had ultimately been denied by the budget committee. The committee, she said, had granted only the money to promote a patrolman to sergeant, and the money needed to hire his replacement. Ontario Police Department Capt. Mark Alexander said that replacement has not been found yet, and the retirement of a detective has left the department even more understaffed. Alexander said with Boise and Meridian hiring constantly and offering cash incentives, smaller Treasure Valley law enforcement agencies have trouble attracting experienced candidates. He said his department has had only 13 applications for the patrol position, where he would have expected more than 100 a few years ago. “It’s just tough right now,” Alexander said. He said the city will probably have to hire someone who has no experience.   Ontario Police Chief Mike Kee said even if the funding for a gang officer was available today, it would take a year to assign that person to the position, given the time necessary to recruit, train and equip the patrol officer who would be needed to replace the officer most likely to be moved to the gang position. “It will take a year to train up a new person,” Kee said. “A new person is worthless to us for at least six months. These people do not know the first thing about police work.” He said just attending the police academy eats up four months. Dominick said that fact was a real eye-opener for him. He said he hopes to find the funding within the existing budget, and he has never questioned the need to hire a gang officer as soon as possible. “We do need a gang officer,” he said. “It’s the communities without one that have their problems get bigger.” The catch with Alexander’s proposed four-year levy, he said, was how to keep funding the position after year four. Ontario City Recorder Tori Barnett said it may already be too late to get a levy on the May primary ballot, which Alexander said would have made a good test of the public’s support. Barnett said everything would have to be ready by Sept. 4 to make the November general election ballot. City Councilman Bruce Tuttle said he favored putting a surcharge on water bills to hire a gang officer immediately, giving the city more time to figure out a long term funding solution to hire an additional police officer and another fireman. He also thought something less expensive than a fully-equipped patrol cruiser could be found for the gang officer. Allen disagreed. “Forget this surcharge,” he said. “Let’s fine-tune the budget and cut some out if we have to.” He said with some budget cuts and the use of the contingency fund, the two positions could be funded until the traffic position began to bring some revenue in. Allen said he and other citizens are paying their fair share and should not have to pay for any additional surcharges or tax levies while developers are not paying their fair share.  City Councilman Jim Mosier said he would like to see the impact of the city’s proposed System Development Charges before adding another surcharge to the water bills. He also said the council must look into every funding possibility for the city’s long-term financial problems, even though council members will surely take a lot of political heat for doing so. “It is absolutely necessary for the welfare of our community,” Mosier said. “I am convinced of that and, for my part, I am willing to take whatever bruising and battering may come from the effort.” Dominick said that statement made Mosier the first volunteer for a new revenue committee, and he would be the second. The dates of the budget committee meetings have not yet been set, but Dominick said they would all be open to the public.