Palmhurst voters to decide on sales tax for Police Department

PALMHURST — Marisela Salazar remembers what it was like before.

The Palmhurst resident called sheriff’s deputies when she saw someone lurking in her neighborhood late at night.

“They never arrived,” Salazar said.

But since this city of about 5,000 residents chose to create its own police department in 2004, she has seen a big difference, she said.

“They do come right away,” said Salazar, who has lived in Palmhurst the past 13 years. “We haven’t needed them that much. But in case we do need it, we have it.”

Starting next week, voters here will decide whether they want to continue funding the city’s police force through a half-cent sales tax.

“I am optimistic it will pass,” Mayor Ramiro Rodriguez said. “Who wouldn’t want a police department?”

Voters first approved the measure five years ago after residents of the relatively low-crime area experienced slow response times from the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and the Hidalgo County Constable Precinct 3 Office. Initially, the sales tax alone provided all the necessary funding for the Palmhurst Crime Control and Prevention District, which oversees the Police Department.

A sunset provision in the measure meant it would expire after five years, which is why voters must now decide whether to continue it.

Local officials have said the sales tax helps fund the police force without having to implement property taxes — a privilege Palmhurst residents continue to enjoy.

“It’s just a real nice place to live and we want to keep it that way,” Rodriguez said.

Palmhurst Police Chief Michael Vela has been with the department since day one.

He has watched the city steadily expand the police budget as the agency has grown. The department has expanded from part-time to providing coverage 24 hours a day and hired its ninth officer this month, Vela said.

Today, the sales tax makes up about $75,000 of the $225,000 annual police budget, with municipal funds covering the rest, Rodriguez said. A $30,000 federal grant pays officers to work overtime patrols and the city has received grant money from the state to purchase police cars.

“It hasn’t hurt our operations, which is the good thing about it,” Rodriguez said of the city boosting its police funding.

If voters approve the sales tax, the department plans to hire its own radio dispatchers — neighboring cities currently provide that service — and install its own 9-1-1 system. Rodriguez said he also would like the department to establish its own canine anti-drug unit.

Most of the crime Palmhurst officers encounter consists of traffic violations and dealing with shoplifters at the Wal-Mart Supercenter and the cluster of nearby retailers. Vela said there have been “some burglaries,” no homicides and three home invasions in the past five years.

“Luckily, we haven’t had any major crime,” the chief said. The department just began keeping FBI Uniform Crime Reporting statistics this year; however, they were not immediately available.

Early voting for the measure begins Tuesday. Election day is Nov. 3.

Even if the measure doesn’t pass, the city would keep the department, albeit with a tighter budget that could mean cutting services, Rodriguez said.

“That wouldn’t go away,” the mayor said of the police force.

Having the local officers around bodes well for residents like Salazar, who said she also would like the city to start its own fire department — a move that likely would lower her homeowners insurance costs.

Mission currently handles Palmhurst’s fire calls. Rodriguez said the Palmhurst City Council has looked into creating a fire department but decided Mission’s coverage has been more than adequate for his town.

“You need to take baby steps before you can walk,” he said.

____

Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.

____

Palmhurst residents can vote on the half-cent sales tax at Faith Baptist Church, 4301 N. Shary Road.

>> Early voting runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, through Friday, Oct. 30.

>> Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.