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El Dorado County, CA November 8, 2011 Election
Measure F
Annual special tax of $85.00 on developed real property
Pioneer Fire Protection District

Special Tax - 2/3 Approval Required

Pass: 1398 / 76.81% Yes votes ...... 422 / 23.19% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Nov 15 4:02pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (3/3)
52.0% Voter Turnout (1820/3503)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text

Shall the Pioneer Fire Protection District collect a special tax of eighty five ($85.00) dollars per parcel on all parcels of real property developed sufficiently for commercial or residential occupation as set forth in Resolution 01-2011-12 for the purpose of fire prevention, fire protection, and emergency medical services?

Impartial Analysis from County Counsel
This measure, entitled the "Pioneer Fire Protection District Financial Security Initiative," if approved by 2/3 of the voters voting on the measure, would authorize a special tax on parcels of real property within the boundaries of the Pioneer Fire Protection District ("District"), to be used for the purpose of providing fire prevention, fire protection and emergency medical services. This special tax would be in the amount of $85.00 per parcel on all parcels of real property developed sufficiently for commercial or residential occupation within the District. The special tax may be reduced or adjusted at the beginning of each fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2013, following a public hearing, by an amount not to exceed the change in cost of living as determined by the Consumer Price Index prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or similar indicator of inflation that may come into common and widespread use.

The special tax shall be used only for the purposes of continuing the District's fire prevention, fire protection, and emergency medical services. The proceeds from the special tax shall be placed in an account created for that purpose by the District and held by the County of El Dorado. The chief fiscal officer of the District shall file an annual report regarding the use of the tax proceeds as required by Government Code section 50075.3. The District Board of Directors shall set policy on assessment conformity issues, and shall hear all appeals by property owners of assessments and parcel conformity decisions.

If approved by 2/3 of the voters voting on the measure, the special tax shall be collected annually by the County of El Dorado as a separate item on the county property tax bill for each affected parcel of land, and will be collected in the same manner, and will be subject to the same penalties, as the general property tax. The County of El Dorado is authorized to deduct its reasonable costs of collection from the special taxes received.

This measure requires an affirmative vote of 2/3 or more of all voters voting on the measure in order to pass.

A "YES" vote is a vote to authorize the special tax provided in the measure.

A "NO" vote is a vote against the special tax provided in the measure.

Louis B. Green, County Counsel

  News and Analysis

White Paper: Community In Crisis, The Pioneer Fire Protection District

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Arguments For Measure F
El Dorado County has eliminated the "Aid-to-Fire" program drastically reducing the operating revenue of every independent fire protection district in our County. Our local Pioneer Fire Protection District will be losing roughly $279,000 a year. Measure F will assess each developed parcel in the Pioneer Fire Protection District $85 a year to replace the "Aid to Fire" program funding. Without this parcel tax to replace the "Aid to Fire" funding, the District will not have the financial resources to sustain our current level of fire protection and medical response. We all know that the fire protection level of local fire districts affects how much we pay for the fire component of our homeowner's insurance policies. The lower the fire protection level, the higher the insurance rates, or in some cases no insurance policy at all. For most of us, should Measure F fail to pass, the increased price of each homeowners insurance will probably cost significantly more than $85 a year.

We urge you to join us in supporting Measure F to replace the "Aid-to-Fire" money we will no longer be receiving from El Dorado County.

Thank you for your consideration.

Mike Lawless Chairman, Save Pioneer Fire

John Smith Owner, Oakstone Winery

Rusty Vardy Principal/Superintendent, Indian Diggings School

Sandy Bush Home Owner

Ray "Cook" Hudleson Vice-Chairman, Save Pioneer Fire

(No arguments against Measure F were submitted)

Full Text of Measure F
The Pioneer Fire Protection District hereby submits for voter approval at a General Election to be held on November 8, 2011, the following proposition: Shall an ordinance be enacted by the voters of the Pioneer Fire Protection District, which does the following: A) Imposes an annual special tax of eighty five ($85.00) dollars per parcel on all parcels of real property developed sufficiently for commercial or residential occupation within the Pioneer Fire Protection District. B) The special tax may be reduced or adjusted at the beginning of each fiscal year, commencing July 1, 2013, following a public hearing, by an amount not to exceed the cost of living as determined by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) prepared by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics or similar indicator of inflation that may come into common and widespread use. C) The special tax, as approved by the voters, shall be used only for the purposes of continuing the Pioneer Fire Protection District fire prevention, fire protection, and emergency medical services. The tax proceeds shall be placed in an account created for that purpose by the Pioneer Fire Protection District, and held by the County of El Dorado. The chief fiscal officer of the Pioneer Fire Protection District shall file an annual report regarding the use of the tax proceeds as required by Government Code Section 50075.3. D) The Pioneer Fire Protection District Board of Directors shall set policy on assessment conformity issues and shall hear all appeals of assessments and parcel conformity decisions by property owners. E) The proposed ballot title and question are attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Section 3. Collection of Tax If approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the qualified electors voting at the election the special tax set forth above shall be collected annually by the County of El Dorado in the same manner and subject to the same penalties as other taxes collected by the County. The County of El Dorado is hereby authorized to deduct from the taxes received its reasonable costs of collection.

Section 4. Applicability of Tax If approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the qualified electors voting at the election the special tax set forth above shall augment existing sources of revenue to the Pioneer Fire Protection District and shall not apply to parcels owned by a federal or state governmental agency or another local agency.

Section 5. Election Services The Pioneer Fire Protection District requests that the El Dorado County Registrar of Voters place the proposed ordinance to create a special tax on developed parcels before the voters of the Pioneer Fire Protection District at a general election on November 8, 2011.

Section 6. Effective Date This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

Section 7. Severability / Invalidation This special tax shall take effect as provided herein. If any section, subsection, sentence, phrase or clause of this resolution is for any reason held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of the resolution.

Exhibit A

Ballot Title

Pioneer Fire Protection District Financial Security Initiative. Ballot Question "Shall the Pioneer Fire Protection District collect a special tax of eighty five ($85.00) dollars per parcel on all parcels of real property developed sufficiently for commercial or residential occupation as set forth in Resolution 01-2011-12 for the purpose of fire prevention, fire protection, and emergency medical services?"


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