Des Moines Proposition 1, which appears on November's general election ballot, would lift the city's property tax levy lid to raise additional funds for police services.

Backers of Proposition 1 state that, unlike other levy lift measures, the new funds will go directly to the police department, and may not be used by other city departments and will be audited by the state Auditor's Office.

The levy lid lift is endorsed by the community's Enhanced Public Safety Committee, a group of citizen volunteers that grew out of last summer's Des Moines Mayor's Leadership Summit.

If approved, it would increase taxes on a home valued at $250,000 by about $100 per year.

"If the levy lid is passed, these new funds will bring our department up to 1999 levels," Police Chief Roger Baker said.

Recent tax-cutting initiatives approved by voters statewide have resulted in "significant decreases" in city revenue, resulting in a sharp reduction in the number of police officers on the street in Des Moines," Backer said.

"The level of crime has increased as the police force has decreased," he added.

"It is important to continue the new safety initiatives we have begun this year.

One of these is the new Crime-Free Housing Program, a pro-active initiative by the city to build a coalition of property owners, managers, residents and law enforcement.

Its goal is to eliminate crime in rental housing facilities and establish a stable, safe environment for tenants as well as surrounding neighborhoods.

Each participating landlord pays an annual fee per rental unit and must attend training workshops on managing the units and their tenants.

Police Community Service Officer Tonya Seaberry, who directs the program, said "The program so far has already had a positive impact in some neighborhoods in the Pacific Ridge area."

The Enhanced Public Safety Committee said in a recent statement that passage of Proposition 1 is "essential in the ongoing efforts to make the Des Moines community a safer environment for its citizens and a place where new businesses would like to locate."