The failure of a 1 percent sales tax measure has left the City of Hemet scrambling for a way to pay its police and firefighters.
Measure E would have raised an estimated $10 million over 10 years to fund the city's police and fire services. But the proposal failed to garner the two-thirds supermajority needed to pass. Now, the city finds itself in a pickle.
Mayor Bonnie Wright was stoic in the wake of Measure E's defeat.
"We have to look forward in a positive manner and see what we can accomplish without the measure," she said. "It will take longer to achieve what we want to achieve. Unfortunately, the community isn't so patient and they are quick to blame."
Hemet's dilemma is one shared by many other municipalities in Riverside County. Menifee, Temecula and Riverside are all considering similar measures to fund their public safety departments. San Jacinto has had to scale back police and fire services as a result of its own utility tax measure failure.
Read more about Hemet's search for public safety funds here.