King County Local Voters Pamphlet
September 19, 2000 Primary Election King County - Proposition No. 2
PROPOSITION NO. 2 The Metropolitan King County Council has passed Ordinance No. 13894 concerning this proposition for an automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) levy. This proposition would fund continued operation and enhancement of the AFIS program, which assists law enforcement agencies in identifying and convicting criminals, and replace an expiring levy. It would authorize King County to exceed Chapter 84.55 RCW regular property tax limitations and levy an additional regular property tax of not more than $0.05784 (5.784 cents) per $1,000 of assessed valuation for five consecutive years with collection beginning in 2001, all as provided in Ordinance No. 13894. Should this proposition be: Approved __ Rejected __
If approved by the voters, Proposition No. 2 would authorize King County to levy an additional regular property tax in excess of the limitation on levy increases provided by Chapter 84.55 RCW to support the continued operation and enhancement of an automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) program. The AFIS program is designed to improve the ability of law enforcement agencies to identify and convict criminal offenders. Among other activities, the AFIS program matches crime scene fingerprints to potential criminal suspects. The proposed tax would be at a rate of not more than $0.05784 (5.784 cents) per $1000 of assessed valuation and would be authorized for a period of five years, beginning in 2001. The existing AFIS tax approved by the voters on November 7, 1995, will expire on December 31, 2000.
VOTE YES on PROPOSITION 2 for AFIS Continued funding of AFIS is vital to fighting crime in King County. Without funding, use of this crucial crime-solving tool by King County, Seattle and suburban police will be drastically reduced or eliminated. Proposition 2 Solves Crime King County AFIS is one of the finest and most efficient systems in the country, with latent fingerprint "hit rates" nearly double the national average. Before AFIS, a single examiner would have to work continuously for over 100 years to manually view the half million database fingerprints to match and identify just one latent fingerprint. With AFIS, this same process takes less than 15 minutes. Before AFIS, police had to have a suspect in mind for fingerprints to be of use. Using AFIS, not only are police able to solve crimes with no obvious suspects but solved crime rates rose 66%. Nearly 3,500 suspects were identified from crime scene prints in the past five years. This led to convictions for murders, assaults, rapes, burglaries and other crimes. Funding for AFIS is critical to King County's crime fighting success. Proposition 2 assures AFIS remains an essential tool against crime in King County. STATEMENT PREPARED BY: RON SIMS, IDA BALLASIOTES, BILL DICKINSON
King County funds regional services but AFIS is not a responsibility of the County. The Growth Management Act has concentrated taxing authority in cities and diminished the county's regional revenues. To absorb regional AFIS into its general fund is impractical without payment from cities. King County and the Regional AFIS Committee have committed during this levy to finding permanent funding. If King County absorbs AFIS into its general fund, it cannot provide high-quality service.
Year 2000. Enough is enough. After fourteen long years, it's time for the King County Council to fund the AFIS program in its annual budget. It should have been included in the budget following the end of the 1986 "startup" levy. Only a NO vote will send the Council a message to do so now. AFIS is a critical part of the criminal justice system. By refusing to include it in the budget, the Council is coercing taxpayers into believing they must once again pass another "excess property tax" levy for the AFIS - or lose it. A NO vote will place the responsibility of funding this system where it belongs - with the Council. This levy is a revenue-generating ploy. By continuing to fund the AFIS with levies, taxpayers are letting the Council "off the hook." AFIS is a public safety component and should use revenues from the General Fund. Vote NO on continuing this unwarranted $52 million "excess property tax" burden. STATEMENT PREPARED BY: FRED BUCKE, BOB HEGAMIN
Voting NO will compel the Council to finance this vital AFIS from the county's General Fund. Council members knew funding from the 1995 AFIS levy was ending this year. They are duty-bound to sustain what proponents call an "essential tool against crime," even if voters say NO to this proposed levy.Unaccountably, they had relegated the future of AFIS to voter "uncertainty," belittling its importance. Vote NO to this $52 million "excess property tax."
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Updated: August 31, 2000
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