The President of the San Diego Council says the City may have to go back to voters -- again -- to try to raise the money for improved fire protection. The story from KPBS reporter Alan Ray.
Scott Peters wants to know how much it would cost to hire the firefighters and build the fire stations the city needs. He'll ask the City Budget Analyst to put a price tag on closing the deficit in fire stations and staff over the next ten years.
The money would come either from a bond issue, or from an increase in the sales tax and either source would have to be approved by voters.
At a hearing in San Diego this week, Senator Dianne Feinstein said the needs 800 more firefighters and 22 more fire stations. She was critical of the fact that the San Diego's Fire-Rescue Department has 35 per cent fewer firefighters per thousand people than the average American big city.
But two previous ballot measures that would have raised the money to improve fire service have been rejected by voters. And Council President Peters says a third effort might also prove futile, given the San Diego voters' historic aversion to taxes.
Alan Ray, KPBS News
