FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       

CONTACT: Michael Thorne

PHONE: 760-839-4009

The City of Escondido City Council voted to place a local funding measure to maintain Escondido’s public safety and essential City services on the November ballot. 

In a recently completed professional community survey, as much as 64% of respondents indicated they would support a funding measure that only requires a simple majority for adoption.

“Currently nearly all the sales tax funding generated goes to the State, County or SANDAG,” said Escondido Director of Finance Christina Holmes.   “The proposed measure will provide Escondido with local control over local revenue for the services residents have told us they want to be prioritized.”

Funding from the measure would be used to address priorities identified by the community through The Escondido Discussion community survey and engagement effort that the City has been conducting for several months.   With thousands of community responses, City service needs and priorities identified include addressing homelessness;  police patrols and crime prevention; repairing and maintaining local streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure; keeping parks and public facilities safe, clean, and well maintained; providing quick responses to 911 emergencies; providing fire protection and paramedic services; and cleaning up trash and litter in public areas.

Said City Manager Sean McGlynn, “Funding generated by this Measure will allow the City to address the priorities identified by community members and a variety of other City services that are essential to the quality of life of our residents.”

If enacted, the proposed measure would be a ¾ cent sales tax measure to expire in 15 years and include built-in fiscal accountability including citizen’s oversight, independent audits, and public reporting of expenditures.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            

CONTACT: Michael Thorne

PHONE: 760-839-4009

Escondido, CA - Escondido Chief of Police Ed Varso has been selected to be the next Chief of Police for the City of Menifee, CA. Chief Varso’s last day with the City of Escondido will be Tuesday, June 28, 2022. The City will appoint an internal Interim Chief from the Department’s command staff to ensure that community safety and internal operations remain unimpacted.

Chief Varso served the City of Escondido for 21 years, and served as Chief of Police since January 2020. Chief Varso said, “While I am excited for the opportunity to lead the Menifee Police Department, it is sad to say goodbye to Escondido. Day after day I witness a level of dedication and professionalism from all members of the Escondido Police Department that is second to none. I wish to thank the Escondido community for all of the support it has shown not only to me, but to the entire Escondido Police Department. EPD is an outstanding police department and I know that it will continue to provide exceptional service for years to come.”

City Manager Sean McGlynn said, “While this is an incredibly exciting opportunity for Chief Varso to help build a new police department and bring his leadership to a new community, it is truly a loss for Escondido. We will work quickly to engage in a national recruitment to find a replacement who will continue to advance the mission and values of our organization.”

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