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Who Should Pay For Phoenix Neighborhood Block Watch Staff?

Phoenix's budget director has proposed funding four civilian police department positions using the Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Fund.
(Photo by Christina Estes - KJZZ)
Phoenix's budget director has proposed funding four civilian police department positions using the Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Fund.

With Phoenix facing a financial shortfall next year, the city’s budget director is proposing a new way to use neighborhood block watch money, but some neighbors aren’t sold on his idea.

In the early 1990s, Phoenix created its Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program. It’s funded through a portion of the city’s sales tax. Jeff Barton is the city’s budget director.

“On average the fund takes in about $1.7 to $1.8 million a year,” said Jeff Barton, budget and research director for Phoenix. “And, they’re giving out about $1.3 million a year, on average.”

Barton says the current fund balance tops $3 million and that’s why he pitched this idea to the Public Safety Subcommittee: rather than use general fund money to cover the four full-time civilian police department employees who oversee the program, the city should use the block watch fund. He estimates funding for salaries would not exceed $500,000 annually.

“If there were no block watch program — again I can’t emphasis this enough — these positions would not exist,” Barton said. “They serve no other general fund purpose, they serve no other police purpose other than supporting the block watch program.”

But Candice Fremouw sees it another way. She chairs the Black Mountain Community Alliance and works with block watch groups.

“I don’t understand why we are being asked to give up part of the reserves that our neighborhoods, who have been fiscally responsible and have returned monies to the city, that that cushion will not be there to grow the program or to allow us to expand funding for neighborhoods that are asking for it through the grants,” she said.

Jill Celaya with the Police Department said on average the city receives 178 grant applicationsand funds an average of 164 annually. The subcommittee asked for more information and plans to take up the issue again in December.

As a senior field correspondent, Christina Estes focuses on stories that impact our economy, your wallet and public policy.