CAMDEN — During the 2022 Black Walnut Festival in Camden, Oct. 15 and Oct. 16, members of the Camden Village Council shared a letter from “concerned citizens” in front of the Camden Town Hall regarding the Nov. 8 General Election ballot, and two local levies which will be found on it.
“There are two levies on the ballot Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Both levies go directly to fund our police department and are renewals. They are not new or increased taxes. In fact, these levies have been renewed since 1970, and 1990. Both levies combined generate $170,000, which would be about 65 cents per day for the average household. Or, less than one McDonald’s Big Mac each week,” the letter noted.
The letter continued, “The levies are only about half of what the actual operating costs are for the Camden Police Department, with the other half coming from the village’s general funds. I know that there is never a good time to ask for money, especially in these times. But it is exactly ‘these times’ that so crucially underscore the importance of our police department. Now is not the time to drastically cut or reduce funding for our officers and our department. The loss of these levies and their funding would seriously affect, and potentially eliminate, most if not all of our ability to support a department.
“What message does that send to our children, our elderly and our businesses who rely on the safety that a department brings? What kind of message does that send to those who are looking to do us harm?”
“You don’t have to look too hard or too far away to know that crime is everywhere and continues to be a threat to us all,” the letter continued. “In Camden, over the past decade, records indicate that drug offenses are down by 59 percent, theft is down by 74percent, burglaries are down by 33 percent, and assaults are down by 75 percent. This is not by accident. This is because we have an effective, present and on-the-job police department serving us. That will all be lost if we allow our department to lose its funding,” the letter proceeds.
“Let’s keep crime off our doorsteps and protect our homes, our families and our businesses! Please help us and vote yes Nov. 8, to support our officers and the tremendous, but thankless job they’re doing on our behalf day and night,” concluded the letter.
Both levies were turned down by voters during May Primary Election, and according to members of Camden Village Council, both contribute to the Camden Police Department.
Issue 8, a Proposed Tax Levy (Renewal,) is a renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Camden for the purpose of general operating expenses at a rate not exceeding 4 mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to $0.40 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for 5 years, commencing in 2022, first due in calendar year 2023.
Issue 9, a Proposed Tax Levy (Renewal) is a renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Camden for the purpose of police protection and operating expenses, at a rate not exceeding 6 mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to $0.60 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for 5 years, commencing in 2022, first due in calendar year 2023.
