"On Feb. 6 the city of Forest Park will hold a special election for a tax modification levy, issue 3 on the ballot. As mayor and as a longtime resident, I urge our citizens to vote for this needed levy that will bring in an additional $1.2 million to the city's general fund. The results will benefit everyone who lives, works, or shops in our city."
"The first thing that will happen if it passes is that we will immediately start the process of hiring five additional police officers. It is shocking to learn that we have had the same number of police on patrol since the late 1980s. Our population and our commercial activity have grown considerably since then. While the vast majority of our residents are good law-abiding people, the police point out that in the past two years our violent crime rate has increased by 73 percent and their "gun runs" were up 125 percent. So the additional police officers to deal with these few criminals are long overdue."
"Passage would also allow the police department to keep and/or maintain at full force the DARE program in the elementary schools, the school resource officer in the high school, and participation in the regional DART drug interdiction program."
"The other benefit of passage of the levy would be the enhancement of the city's community redevelopment program. We have started in a small way to purchase some failing properties already. With the additional income the city could start a major program of buying failing properties and redeveloping them into an asset for the city. The old oil change place off Winton Road that is now a flower garden is just one example of what the city has done. Just think of what we maybe could do with the old Kmart property ... read the whole article
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