Politics & Government
Pacifica City Manager Mum on Move to Kibosh Police Outsourcing Plan
Pacifica's top administrator won't say who pulled the plug on a proposal that would have saved the cash-strapped city an estimated $1.5 million annually, referring questions to city attorney.
City Manager Stephen Rhodes declined to comment when asked whose decision it was to pull the plug on a proposal to farm out law enforcement services to the sheriff's department - a move that according to the city's own estimates would have saved nearly-broke Pacifica $1.5 million annually.
Rhodes cited ongoing labor negotiations as the reason he was not disclosed to discuss the city's action publicly. He referred questions about the move to City Attorney Michelle Kenyon.
Kenyon did not respond to an inquiry made through Rhodes Monday afternoon.
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A press release the city issued last week is all the information he said the city was willing to put out for now.
According to press release, 54.7 percent of 1,474 Pacifica residents surveyed "opposed the concept as a means to save the city money."
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"I think the press release explains the process," Rhodes said.
The city's announcement was first reported by Pacifica Index, a blog that posted the city's press release.
"It states that it was the determination not to carry that proposal forward," Rhodes said. "That's as clear as it's going to be."
The proposal to outsource law enforcement services to the sheriff's department came up earlier this year. A consulting firm commissioned to crunch the numbers met with the city council in on July 11.
The city's press release acknowledged that Pacifica faces "significant fiscal challenges," noting that approximately $800,000 will be left in the city's General Fund at the end of the 2012/2013 fiscal year.
Asked if the city's decision to scrap the plan was a surprise, Pacifica Police Chief Jim Tasa said "I just didn't know."
Tasa said his agency wasn't involved in the city's decision-making process.
"I think at some point you have to decide as a community, that if you want to remain a community, if you want to remain a city, there are some essential services that you need to have and I think public safety and public works are probably the primary ones that you want to retain."
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