From: Jessica Baca
Sent: Friday, May 2, 2025 12:54 PM
To: City Clerk
Subject: City Council Public Comment - Public Hearing #7-Biennial Budget FY 25- 26 and 26-27 Budget Workshop
Good evening, councilmembers, community members, and city staff, I am a Port Hueneme resident who genuinely loves this community. I’ve seen this city come together through hard times. I want to thank staff for working hard to try to stabilize the budget and protect the services residents depend on.
I would like to bring up honest concerns about something that’s not working: the police department. This city has serious issues with accountability, transparency, and basic responsiveness that get ignored. Adding a new police dog would require taking an officer off the streets and is the exact opposite of what this community needs right now. Everyone loves dogs, but long term, getting ANOTHER K-9 which requires a HANDLER (officer), a working VEHICLE, ADDITIONAL AND ONGOING OFFICER TRAINING, and a host of other equipment is NOT a cost-effective solution to a problem that cannot be solved by ignoring the real problems and allowing the department to CROWD FUND to obtain a "drug dog". We should ask ourselves if the K-9 the police department already has is actually working for the community. I would say it is NOT. I love dogs as much as the next person, but another K-9 for the police department is NOT the answer and will not help the budget issues the city has.
While some are being told to tighten belts, cancel events, and brace for more cuts— somehow there’s still room in the budget for a K-9 program that doesn’t address our actual public safety concerns and puts our community at more risk - TAKING OFFICERS OFF THE STREETS? To even think of this is a slap in the face to residents who are already frustrated with how this department operates.
We need more officers actually patrolling our streets, and officers who genuinely engage with the community—not performative programs that drain resources and remove personnel from patrol. It is already bad enough.
I urge you: don’t approve a police dog at the cost of REAL public safety. FOCUS ON RESTORING TRUST, NOT APPEARANCES.
Thank you.
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Good evening City councilmembers, community members, and city staff, I want to acknowledge the City’s proactive efforts to stabilize our budget amid declining revenues and growing economic uncertainty. The actions taken have hopefully helped preserve service levels and avoid more painful cuts.
As we look to the 2025-26 and 2026-27 budgets, I support the continued focus on sustainability, protecting the General Fund, and minimizing impacts to core services our residents rely on. However, I must express concern about one specific proposal:
the addition of a new police dog, which would require removing a sworn officer from patrol.
At a time when we are facing projected deficits, increased service demands, and staffing constraints, we cannot afford to shift critical frontline resources. Public safety is a top priority—but it must be approached strategically. Removing an officer from our streets to fund a K-9 program does not align with our fiscal reality or the broader community safety needs.
I urge Council to direct staff to prioritize efficient, people-focused investments and to reconsider any additions to the police department that reduce boots on the ground.
Let’s ensure every dollar serves the highest needs—especially during this critical planning period.
Thank you
Abraham Baca
Saturday, May 3, 2025 7:23 AM
City Clerk
City Council Public Comment-Public Hearing #7-Biennial Budget FY 25- 26 and 26-27 Budget Workshop