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LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Smart Voter
San Mateo County, CA November 6, 2007 Election
Measure H
Fire Protection, Fire Prevention, and Emergency Medical Responses Services Special Tax
Colma Fire Protection District
2/3 Approval Required

634 / 67.1% Yes votes ...... 311 / 32.9% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures
Results as of Dec 19 5:40pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (5/5)
24.4% Voter Turnout (75,394/309,513)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text

To provide fire protection, fire prevention, emergency medical response services and all other authorized District activities, shall Resolution 2007/2008-01 of the Colma Fire Protection District, replacing the present special tax on real property with a new special tax commencing July 1, 2008, at the rate specified in the tax schedule and annually reviewed, with exemptions for residents 65 and older and for certain property exempted by law, and increasing the appropriations limit of the District each year by an amount equal to the levy of the tax for that year be approved?

Impartial Analysis
Currently the Colma Fire Protection District (the "District") collects a special tax for fire protection, prevention and emergency medical response services, and any other authorized District activities. With this measure, The Board of Directors of the District proposes to repeal the current tax and levy a new, increased special tax on property located in the District. If this measure is approved, commencing July 1, 2008 the annual tax on each parcel of taxable land in the District would increase by the following amounts: from $50 to $150 per single family residence, from $75 to $300 per duplex, from $100 to $450 per triplex, from $125 to $600 per fourplex, from $50 to $150 per condominium, from $50 to $150 per apartment complex in addition to from $25 to $75 per dwelling unit if there are 5 or more units, from $25 to $75 for unimproved residential property, from $0.12 to $0.13 per square foot for commercial property, and from $25 to $75 for unimproved commercial property. This measure would add a tax of $150 per bed for board and care homes. The new tax shall continue at the same rate each fiscal year unless the District Board determines that the tax should be increased or decreased. The maximum amount of any increase is 5% of the then current tax. The special tax would be collected by the San Mateo County Tax Collector at the same time as and along with the general ad valorem taxes. The special tax would be subject to the same penalties as the general ad valorem tax, and the special tax and penalty shall bear interest at the same rate as the rate for unpaid ad valorem property taxes until paid. A parcel shall be defined as any unit of real property in the District which receives a separate tax bill for ad valorem property taxes from the San Mateo County tax collection officials. Any property owner aged 65 years or older may qualify for an exemption from the special tax if that property owner occupies the parcel. All property which would otherwise be exempt from ad valorem property taxes will also be exempt from the imposition of the tax. The measure would also increase the appropriations limit (spending limit) by the same amount as the revenues from the tax.

A "yes" vote on this measure would repeal the current tax and levy a new, increased special tax on property within the boundaries of the Colma Fire Protection District and increase the Colma Fire Protection District's appropriations limit in an amount equal to the levy of special taxes.

A "no" vote on this measure would not allow the special tax to be levied and would not allow the appropriations limit to be increased. The current tax would remain in effect.

This measure must be approved by two-thirds of the voters voting upon the measure.

  
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Arguments For Measure H Arguments Against Measure H
With the passage of the Jarvis-Gann tax initiative in 1978, the Colma Fire Protection District (CFPD) was forced to initiate a supplemental property tax to maintain the CFPD. Over the years since the tax passed the costs of doing business have increased. In the last 10 years the District has increased services provided to our community, including advanced Life support (Paramedic), disaster preparedness and CERT, Technical rescue and homeland security. The time has come to ask the voters to increase the current tax. Historically the tax has increased only once since 1978, and the district has preserved the outstanding level of service. In order to maintain this level of service and your Fire District, a YES on measure H is required by a two-thirds majority of the district voters.

Specifically, Measure H will allow:

  • The average response time to remain four minutes.

  • The Fire District to continue to provide fire, life and safety services to our community from our local fire station

  • For the continued provision of Fire Department Paramedic services.

  • The continued development of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and disaster preparedness.

  • The District's continued commitment to our community's safety.

ALL of the funds raised by Measure H will go directly to the operation of the CFPD, not any other agency.

If Measure H fails it will eventually mean the end of the CFPD (serving since 1925) resulting in an increase in response times to emergencies, reductions in personnel available to our community, and our community's public safety.

A YES vote on measure H will do all these things at a reasonable cost of less than $0.42 cents a day for property owners, an increase of only $0.26 cents a day!

We the undersigned urge your authorization of this small assessment by voting YES ON MEASURE H.

/s/ Gerard Biagini August 17, 2007 Community Leader

/s/ Linda Biagini August 17, 2007 Community Leader

/s/ Peter Dabai August 17, 2007 Chair Colma Fire Protection District

/s/ Pat Hatfield August 17, 2007 Colma Resident

NO ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE H SUBMITTED

Full Text of Measure H
TAX SCHEDULE

Residential: Single Family Residence $ 150.00

Duplex $ 300.00

Triplex $ 450.00

Fourplex $ 600.00

Condominium $ 150.00

Apartment Complex $ 150.00 for the building and with 5 or more units $ 75.00 for each dwelling unit.

Unimproved Residential Property $ 75.00

Commercial: $0.13 per square foot. Square footage shall be the amount of square footage as determined by the Building Official in calculating the applicable "School Impact Fee," as defined by Government Code sections 65995 et. seq. and successor statutes, for said property.

Unimproved Commercial Property: $ 75.00

Board and Care Homes: $150 per bed

In advance of each fiscal year, commencing Fiscal Year 2008-2009, the Board, after notice and hearing, shall annually review the qualified special tax, and shall continue such tax at the same rate for the next fiscal year, unless the Board determines that such tax should either be decreased or increased, in which event the Board shall fix the amount for the next fiscal year immediately following the hearing. The maximum amount of any annual increase the Board may fix shall not exceed 5% of the qualified special tax in effect at the time of the annual review.

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Created: December 19, 2007 17:40 PST
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