Apex budget: Former police captain outlines path to protect public safety, fund infrastructure, and avoid new taxes

Apex, N.C. — A retired Apex Police Department captain and current chair of the Public Safety Committee outlined a path forward in the town’s budget discussions that aims to protect public safety, support employee compensation, continue infrastructure investment, and avoid imposing an additional tax burden on residents.

In remarks accompanying the budget talks, the speaker noted that the current debate has been framed as a choice between raising taxes or reducing public safety positions and services. He said this framing is too narrow and that responsible budget solutions can exist without a tax increase.

The speaker cited a proposed property tax rate increase of about 1.75 cents. He said to bring that increase to zero, Apex would need to identify roughly $4.5 million in reductions, restructurings, phased spending, or operational savings within the current budget plan.

Public safety and employee compensation were identified as priorities. The speaker affirmed support for maintaining police officers, firefighters, equipment readiness, and emergency response capabilities, noting that public safety is a core local-government responsibility. He also supported employee compensation and retention efforts, stating that the town should remain competitive in recruitment and retention while recognizing that not every capital timeline must be maintained exactly as currently proposed.

Recognizing a difference between delaying lower-priority projects and reducing critical public safety operations, the speaker stressed the need for careful budgeting rather than a blanket pause on essential safety functions.

Regarding the Community Investment Fund (CIF), the speaker said it should support Apex’s long-term growth and infrastructure needs but must be sequenced to reflect urgency and affordability. He noted residents frequently request infrastructure such as sidewalks, traffic improvements, connectivity, and pedestrian safety projects, and said these investments should continue as part of CIF planning. He also mentioned discussions about using about $500,000 from fund balance and asked what more could be done in a fiscally responsible way before a tax increase is considered.

Areas of flexibility within CIF were outlined, including reviewing service contracts for cost reductions or more competitive pricing, assessing the scope and timing of GoApex service enhancements, postponing non-essential sign fabrication and replacement projects, phasing future planning projects that are years away, extending replacement schedules for non-public safety and non-essential fleet vehicles, and reevaluating lower-priority capital expenditures that do not directly impact immediate public safety or core services.

The discussion also covered the timing of pre-construction capital spending. Delaying early-phase planning and design work for projects several years out could align upfront costs with closer project implementation and funding certainty, the speaker said. Such adjustments across CIF categories could help close much of the roughly $4.5 million needed to avoid the proposed tax increase, without abandoning infrastructure.

Infrastructure can still move forward through phased delivery, adjusted timelines, strategic debt planning, and grant opportunities. The speaker cited high-impact projects such as the Tingen and Apex Peakway traffic signal improvements and the Chatham Street sidewalk project, emphasizing prioritization of high-impact projects first. He cautioned that projected costs may change due to inflation, market conditions, and evolving project scopes, and urged flexibility rather than panic.

Operational savings were also highlighted, including repurposing or reassessing fleet vehicles scheduled for replacement, extending non-critical fleet replacement cycles, staggering non-emergency purchases, and reviewing vacancies and hiring timelines strategically.

The speaker acknowledged that the proposed 1.75-cent increase would affect households differently. He pointed to three recent budget cycles with town tax increases, potential Wake County increases, rising utility and service costs, and a property tax revaluation that has raised assessed values for many homeowners. The combined impact could reach $400 or more per year for some households, depending on home value and usage, with seniors on fixed incomes and working families feeling the effect more acutely.

In closing, the speaker argued that good government is not only about what is built but what families can afford. He said every option should be examined before increasing the tax burden, while also recognizing the importance of maintaining strong public services, investing in infrastructure, and planning responsibly for Apex’s growth. He urged continued discussion and planned to forward these ideas to council colleagues and Town Manager Vosburg for consideration.

The remarks were delivered as part of ongoing budget discussions and were signed off by the speaker as Mayor Jacques.