HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-10-24 Tasmiyah Ansari
Charlene Way
From:Dave Miles
Sent:Friday, October 24, 2025 8:10 AM
To:tansari2@hotmail.com; Mayor Office Feedback; Mayor and City Council
Cc:Charlene Way
Subject:RE: Public Comment – Budget Levy Increase (Nov 2025)
Attachments:SAFER Memo.pdf
Tasmiyah,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your question. To part of your question, cities secure local funding for
public safety needs mostly through their general fund revenues. Thos are primarily through property tax rolls as
the system is designed. However, the State legislature over the recent past (last 3-5 years) has reduced the
amount of revenues that cities can receive through bills like House bill 389 (2021) and House Bill 673 (2022). There
was a decent article covering some of this written last Friday by Boise Dev. Additionally, impact fees (which are
collected when development is built) can only be used for capital expenses and not for ongoing personnel
expenses.
Nonetheless, the levy is requested as a means to pay for not just firefighter positions, but also police officer pay
increase and prosecution services. These three items are enhanced services which the Mayor has mentioned
throughout the year including during the budget process. You can find much of his talking points regarding these
enhanced services and the levy in his 2025 State of the City address.
The City Council spent significant time reviewing the budget. You can find past city council meetings where the
levy and various strategies were discussed on the City levy informational page. I have also attached a memo that
was received by the Fire Department in 2023 when the Federal SAFER Grant was contemplated. In that, you can
see that there were various strategies noted to be considered over the future four budget cycles, beyond just a levy
request – some of which have been implemented. Since 2023, five of the 18 positions have been resolved, and the
levy is (for the fire fighter component) seeking to fund 13 positions.
Sincerely,
Dave Miles | Chief of Staff
City of Meridian | Mayor’s Office
33 E. Broadway Ave., Meridian, Idaho 83642
Phone: (208) 489-0532|Fax: (208) 884-8119
Built for Business, Designed for Living
All e-mail messages sent to or received by City of Meridian e-mail accounts are subject to the Idaho law,
in regards to both release and retention, and may be released upon request, unless exempt from disclosure by law
From: Charlene Way <cway@meridiancity.org>
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2025 7:50 AM
To: Dave Miles <dmiles@meridiancity.org>; Mayor Office Feedback <MayorOfficeFeedback@meridiancity.org>; Mayor
and City Council <MayorandCityCouncil@meridiancity.org>
Subject: FW: Public Comment – Budget Levy Increase (Nov 2025)
1
Charlene
Charlene Way, Assistant City Clerk (Remote Fridays)
City Clerk Office| City of Meridian
33 E. Broadway Ave., Meridian, Idaho 83642
Phone: 208.888.4433|Email: cway@meridiancity.org
All e-mail messages sent to or received by City of Meridian e-mail accounts are subject to the Idaho law,
in regards to both release and retention, and may be released upon request, unless exempt from disclosure by law.
From: Tasmiyah Ansari <tansari2@hotmail.com>
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2025 6:05 AM
To: City Clerk <CityClerk@meridiancity.org>
Subject: Public Comment – Budget Levy Increase (Nov 2025)
External Sender - Please use caution with links or attachments.
Dear Mayor and City Council Members,
As a Meridian resident and a professional working in public education, I understand the importance of
funding essential services. I deeply value the work of our firefighters and police officers. However, I do
not support raising property taxes to cover positions that were previously funded by federal grants.
Families in our community—including those I serve in schools—are already navigating financial strain.
Adding another tax burden, even modestly, feels unsustainable. I respectfully ask: why hasn’t the city
secured long-term federal or state support for these roles? Why are local taxpayers being asked to carry
the full weight?
I urge the Council to explore alternative funding sources and provide greater transparency about why
these positions can’t be maintained without a permanent levy increase. Public safety is essential, but so
is public trust—and that begins with clear, equitable budgeting.
I would appreciate a response regarding what alternative funding options the city has explored and
whether any future forums will address this issue.
2
Thank you for your service and for considering my perspective.
Sincerely,
Tasmiyah K Ansari
Meridian, ID
3
Mayor Robert E. Simison
E IDIAN�- City Council Members:
Joe Borton John Overton
Luke Cavener Jessica Perreault
D A H O Brad Hoaqlun Liz Strader
MEMORANDUM
TO: Meridian Fire Department
FROM: Mayor Robert Simison
Fire Chief Kris Blume
President Derek Nelson
DATE: October 30, 2023
SUBJECT: CITY OF MERIDIAN SAFER GRANT
On September 1, 2023, FEMA awarded the City of Meridian a Safer Grant for the purpose of
hiring 24 firefighters to work towards four-person staffing, with the need to notify FEMA of
our intention to accept or reject the grant by October 1. Mayor Simison requested an allowed
30-day extension in order to have additional time to evaluate the grant and its financial impact
to the City of Meridian.
Through the additional review, it is clear that the SAFER grant helps the City continue its
efforts over the last five years which has resulted in two new stations opening and a third one
coming online in the coming days, to meet our service level expectations to the community. It
is also clear that due to the changes in operations and hiring of firefighters that has occurred
since the grant was submitted, that 18 firefighters would be the appropriate number of hires to
make in order to meet the intent of the original grant, as compared to 24.
Understanding that the City Council cannot bind future Council decisions, and after working
with the Fire Chief, Local 4627 leadership, City Council, and the legal and finance
departments, we have developed a path forward.
On behalf of the City, Mayor Simison has accepted the City's award of a Safer Grant. Next,
we will take appropriate actions to amend our grant award to be in-line with the City's stated
need, which would be 18 firefighters to work towards four-person staffing. Once that process
is completed, we will take any necessary budget amendment to City Council to fund the
positions in the SAFER grant and the associated costs which, if approved, will then allow the
Meridian Fire Department to hire up to 18 firefighters for the duration of the grant.
Over the next four budget cycles, Mayor Simison, if re-elected, will develop budgets that
allow for the addition of as many of these 18 positions to be retained at the end of the grant,
pursuing needed on-going revenue necessary. This may include requested use of foregone
revenue, raising the City levy rate under a ballot initiative process, or using other revenue
from future sources. Each budget year,positions will be presented to City Council along with
Mayor's Office . 33 E. Broadway Avenue, Suite 303., Meridian, ID 83642
Phone 208-489-o529 ■ Fax 208-888-6854 0 www.meridiancitv.orq
other needs from City Departments, to allow the positions to be retained at the end of the
grant period.
Once the grant has ended, if there are any positions which have not been funded with ongoing
revenue as part of the normal budget process, the City will allow positions to phase out with
any retirements from the Fire Department.
We believe this approach will allow us to 1.)utilize the grant to bring staffing to the
department as outlined in the application; 2.)prioritize all the needs of the city on an annual
basis; 3.) grow the Meridian Fire Department in a way that aligns with the financial ability of
the City to fund ongoing needs with ongoing revenue.
Thank you to everyone who has helped in this review to find a way to continue to move
forward with the acceptance of this grant in a pragmatic way.
Mayor's Office . 33 E. Broadway Avenue, Suite 303., Meridian, ID 83642
Phone 208-489-o529 ■ Fax 208-888-6854 0 www.meridiancitv.orq