Will city's huge debt prompt demise of proposed $27-million police station referendum?

The Nov. 4 referendum to finance a new $27-million police station will give Bettendorf residents a rare opportunity to weigh in on the city's decades-long spending spree that has led to a $152-million municipal debt, among the highest in the state.

The need for the new police station may end up being a secondary consideration to residents' concerns over the long-term indebtedness of the city.

Moreover, the referendum needs a 60 percent majority vote at a time when state and local property taxes are under greater scrutiny and amid criticism of local tax spending by state politicians.

The police department, currently housed between city hall offices and the downtown fire station, wants a new 38,000-square-foot facility that would be built next to the city's public works facility just east of Devils Glen Road.

Police officials say the new station would provide needed room for officer training and interviewing detainees, make the department more accessible to citizens, and improve efficiency and officer collaboration.

The Devils Glen location is more central to the city's population, and with that location personnel in the station would be able to respond faster if patrol officers needed back-up.

The new station would be more than double the size of the current facility with more space for evidence storage, a new indoor gun range and indoor parking for police vehicles.

While the upfront cost of the building is $27 million, interest during the 20-year payback of the bonds at nearly 5 percent interest will add another $17 million to taxpayer bills. When the bonds are paid back in 2046, the total principal and interest paid by the city will total $43.4 million.

For the average homeowner with a house valued at $322,000, it will mean a tax increase of $101 each year for the next 20 years.

City officials have faced little scrutiny over issuing bonds in the past, needing only approval of the city council when incurring long-term debt for projects deemed "essential corporate purpose" under state law. Those essential purposes includes streets, fire and sanitation trucks, sewers, streetlights, stormwater projects and "equipping of fire, police, sanitation, street, and civil defense departments. . ."

With very low interest rates, the city has pursued a self-proclaimed policy of "aggressive" debt financing to pay for those capital improvements, including last year's new waterpark and ice-skating rink.

City debt has grown steadily over the past 10 years from $112 million in 2015 to the current $152 million. In fiscal 2024, the city paid $14.8 million in principal and interest payments, nearly as much as it paid for public safety ($15.7 million).

However, constructing and equipping of police stations falls under the definition of "general corporate purposes," subjecting such bonds to a public referendum and requiring approval by a 60 percent majority of voters.

The city began developing plans in November 2023 and hired Bray Architects of Sheboygan, WI for $135,000 to conduct a police station and city hall renovation feasibility study.

The analysis led to a Bray report in March of 2024 laying out three "masterplan options."

• Option A was to build a new stand-alone police facility next to the existing city public works building along Devils Glen Road, and renovate/remodel the existing city hall on State Street.

• Option B was renovate/remodel the vacant Genesis Medical facility at Devils Glen and Tanglefoot Lane into a new city hall, and then renovate and remodel city hall administrative space for an enlarged police station.

• Option C was renovate/remodel the vacant Genesis Medical Facility at Devils Glen and Tanglefoot Lane into a new city hall and build a new stand alone police facility next to the city public works building off Devils Glen.

The property where the new standalone police station would be built is adjacent to the public works facility and is city-owned. The Genesis property would have to be acquired by the city under two of the options.

The March report estimated the standalone police station at $27 million, plus $8.2 million for renovation of city hall (should the police department move to a new facility).

Once the city council gave the green light to the standalone police facility plan, Bray Architects hired a firm to conduct a community survey to determine the level of public support for the referendum.

The firm, Community Perceptions, was hired by Bray at a cost to the city of $11,900.

Mail surveys were printed and sent to all city residents at a cost to the city of $15,287.

Of the 13,872 households sent the survey, 18 percent (2,497) were returned.

The survey did not use a random scientific sampling of residents and consequently the responses are unlikely to provide an accurate reflection of overall community attitudes toward the referendum.

Community Perceptions boasts of its non-reliance of scientific polling methods on its web site.

"The Community Perceptions process: educates stakeholders and gathers data to inform your planning; builds trust and credibility; allows everyone to participate, while ensuring data integrity," the company web site states.

"Our 'Inclusive Methodology' is better: we believe that inclusive surveying is better than sampling," states the company web site. "When a survey company uses random stratified sampling, a very small percentage of your community gets surveyed. This leaves nine out of 10 people complaining that 'they never asked me!' Instead of sampling, we use a model that allows everyone an opportunity to give feedback."

According to the company, it doesn't like to call its mailers "surveys," but rather “interactive newsletters.”

The results of the company's interactive newsletter was that 34 percent of those who sent back surveys "definitely" said they would support the bond issue. Another 25 percent responded they "probably" would support the referendum.

A total of 9 percent were undecided, while 32 percent responded they "probably" or "definitely" would not support such a referendum.

The company segmented the results by wards, but such a breakdown in responses also is unlikely to track actual attitudes because of the non-random sampling used by the company.

As part of the city's efforts to bolster community support for the Nov. 4 vote, it sent out postcards to nearly 6,000 resident, targeting those people who have voted in the last several local elections.

That postcard cost city taxpayers $3,202 to print and mail, and did not even state the financial impact of the bond referendum on property tax bills.

Instead, the mailer instructed recipients to click on a web link, which then required them to enter their name and address to show the property tax increase for their property.

Besides the city's efforts to get out information on the police station plans, a political action committee – Yes for Public Safety – has been formed to raise money and push for a "yes" vote by residents.

That group has raised $15,000 (as of 10/22) to pay for yard signs and printing/mailing of a postcard that features flashing police lights and a large headline: Protect Our Families.

Another headline claims the project would "save taxpayer dollars," but there is no explanation how that is possible.