VIDEO: With early voting in Ada County starting on Oct. 20, Meridian voters will decide on a public safety levy, which aims to bolster police and fire services in the growing city. City officials said the levy aims to keep up with Meridian’s growth, and the $5,018,125.71 levy will appear on residents’ ballots on Nov. 4. If passed, it will help fund three key issues: a prosecution unit, increased police officer wages, and the retention of 13 firefighter positions.
Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea said the wage increase is crucial for recruitment, as the department struggles to compete with neighboring agencies on benefits packages including health care and retirement. “We want to make sure we’re getting everyone through the door that we need to get through the door when it comes to recruiting,” Basterrechea said.
“We think that this is a way to drive that up and we’re very confident that once we get them in the door and get them immersed into the culture of policing the way that we police at the Meridian Police Department that they’ll stay.” The 13 firefighter positions would help Meridian achieve its goal of four-person crews across all fire stations, according to the city.
