Washington County Sheriff Sam Hill explained several cost scenarios,
e.g., the Lamoille County Sheriff's office provides police protection
for three towns in that county, with 24/7 coverage (including dispatch)
with five to seven officers, for approximately $900,000 per year.
The Barre Town police department costs approximately $760,000 per year,
plus $160,000 per year for dispatch and provides 24/7 coverage with six
officers.
Dispatch services, it turns out, are very costly and hard to come by.
The Vermont State Police has contracted out its dispatch services in
the past but is not currently accepting new clients for dispatch.
Availability of dispatch aside, it would cost approximately $900,000 to
create a multi-town police department, such as the one that serves the
three towns in Lamoille County or the Barre Town department, in The
Valley. (This does not include the need for a building to house such a
department.)
While such a number would be pro-rated based on per town population and
it is likely that Sugarbush (which already pays for its own private
security firm) would contribute as well, let's assume it would cost
$300,000 per town. Moretown may also participate.
But just using rough numbers, $900,000 for a police department, split
evenly between three towns, here's how the numbers play out.
In Waitsfield, adding one cent to the municipal tax rate will raise
about $32,500. In Fayston, adding one cent to the municipal tax rate
will raise an estimated $28,744. In Warren, adding one cent to the
municipal tax rate will raise $78,917.
So 9.5 cents on the tax rate in Waitsfield would raise $304,000, 10.45
cents on the tax rate in Fayston would raise $300,374 and 3.8 cents on
the tax rate in Warren would raise $300,000.
Adding nine cents to the tax rate in Waitsfield would add $180 to the
tax bill of a $200,000 home. In Warren means adding 3.8 cents on the
tax rate would add $76 in taxes on a $200,000 home. Adding 10.45 cents
to Fayston's municipal tax rate would result in a $200 per house tax
increase.
It's just food for thought.
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