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February 7, 2019 <br />SANTA ANA POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION <br />1607 NORTH SYCAMORE SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92701.3513 <br />[7141836.1211 FAX 17141 836.6108 <br />ESTEEMED BRETHREN, <br />I have received countless calls and massages of disbelief, for lack of better terms, from our membership and <br />public, especially after everyone received a letter from Mayor Pro Tem Villegas at your place of employment. <br />In response to the many (memberships requests, the following is a'factual response. <br />On the February 5, 2019, council meeting our Tentative Agreement (contract] with the city was approved by <br />the council ma or by a vote of 4-2. it is always an honor to have the support of those council members <br />that value public safety and eppraciste die professional service you provide to our community 2A/7, The <br />community we serve bas spoken that public safety is a priority and their actions were heard at the ballot by <br />the passing of a Public Safety Measure. <br />Please take the time to view the council meeting and see for yourself who supports our public safety <br />professionals. There are always a handful of members of the community that will never support public safety <br />and theft there are certain palit'cians, (some that termed out and returned to speak at the hearing), that <br />Profess they support our, police off lost,% but never make a vote in support of them when it counts, it takes <br />courage to do the right thing and take the time to research and press for accurate data. The handful of <br />community opponents doss not represent the value of the 350,000 plus residents of our, community. <br />The fact isour revenues are growing; sales tax is going up by approximately $00 million annually, cannabis <br />revenue Inas been increasing, and our reserves are expanding. The midyear budget reported than $1 G2 <br />million is being transferred out of the "IS- 19 'budget and into reserves. is itto create an illusion of a deficit, <br />wily? With the city's fiscal health trending positively, the council rnaicrity approved a neva contract. In <br />addition, there is approximately $6 to $10 million in budgeted vacancies within the police budget. All of the <br />foregoing, as well as the used to reward officers .and our support professionals, is sound justification for <br />approval of our Tentative Agreement: an agreement that is about $4 million per year, which is about 1,50% of <br />the city's budget. <br />Councilman Villages sent a letter to the police department stating the council majority approved our <br />contrast (as lie stated he was not part of that majority) but that out, contract still needed one (1 ) vote to be <br />funded. He could have voted to appropriate resources to fund the agreement, but he chose not to. With <br />these various facts in mind', hopefully, at the next Council meeting he fulfills his ministerial fluty and votes to <br />fund the approved contract as staff recommended, He now has a rosponsibrkty to carry out compliance with <br />a legal contract and ensure the city abides by its legal agreement. <br />Respectfully, <br />CaERRY SERRANO <br />PRESfOENT <br />SANTA ANA POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION <br />OSf rr <br />@Ar�t]ba.9erraano 2Qke{12.a7 r;onraonsetis Mayor Pro Tom Juan V,Oapnw dated 02.06.2019 <br />