San Diego Supervisor Ron Roberts says he’s ready to put a parcel tax on the November ballot to pay for more fire protection in the County. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.
As one fire chief at the Regional Fire Protection Meeting said, finally elected officials were acknowledging the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Till now there’s been no mention of new taxes to pay for fire protection. But County Counsel advised the group the best way to raise money specifically for fire protection is a $50, across-the-board parcel tax on every single family residence in the County.
Supervisor Roberts is ready to run with the idea.
Roberts: I don’t think there’s solution without going to the general electorate of this county and saying, “ Here’s our vision, here’s what you’re going to get,” and ask for a buy in.
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders is not so sure.
Sanders: Before I do anything on this I want to know what our needs are and what our opportunities are to fund that, and then I can make a decision but it’ll probably be a couple of weeks
The tax would raise about $48 million a year. That would hardly be enough to pay for the ambitious program of helicopter purchases Roberts wants to make.
Supervisor Dianne Jacob says the measure is unlikely to sell unless the County figures out how to coordinate the patchwork of fire services. Supervisors will tackle that issue later this month. Alison St John, KPBS news