Editor:
I am proud of what the City of Piedmont accomplished during my 9 years as chief of police. For a community of fewer than 11,000 residents, maintaining its own police and fire departments is both an admirable commitment to public safety and a considerable financial responsibility.
During my tenure as Chief, I participated directly in Piedmont’s annual budgeting process. Through that experience, I witnessed firsthand the high priority the City Council consistently placed on funding public safety services.
One example stands out. When Piedmont received one-time federal funding through the American Rescue Plan in 2021, the City Council and staff quickly identified an important priority: transforming our 911 Dispatch Center from a converted closet into a modern, purpose-built facility. Today, Piedmont residents benefit from a seismically safe, modern dispatch center that better supports our emergency responders and the community they serve.
That project remains a source of professional pride for me. It also illustrates the direct connection between thoughtful budgeting decisions and the essential services Piedmont residents rely upon every day.
Throughout my years of service, I came to appreciate the dedication of the resident volunteers serving on the City Council and the Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee. I saw the care and deliberation that went into decisions about how to allocate the City’s limited financial resources.
Measure GG proposes increasing Piedmont’s real estate transfer tax from 1.3% to 1.75%, generating an estimated $1.5 million annually for the City’s general fund. These funds would help support essential city services and facilities. Importantly, the revenue would be subject to the same annual public budgeting process in which proposed expenditures are discussed, analyzed, and ultimately adopted by the City Council.
Piedmont residents have come to expect responsive emergency services delivered by highly trained, professional public safety personnel. Maintaining those services requires sustained investment, careful financial planning, and an ongoing commitment from the community. That is why I believe the passage of Measure GG is so important to Piedmont’s future.
–Jeremy Bowers, Chief of Police (Ret.)
