League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Placer County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Measure K Proposal to Modify Measure B Special Tax Newcastle Fire Protection District 2/3 Approval Required Fail: 1520 / 60.27% Yes votes ...... 1002 / 39.73% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure K

Arguments Against Measure K

A vote for Measure K will sustain the Newcastle Fire Protection District, build a new station or remodel the existing station. Measure K will limit the tax burdens on fixed income individuals. Measure K is designed to amend Measure B which was passed in March, 2012 by a special election that increased your fire tax by 297% with indefinite, annual 3% increases. Every parcel in this district, improved or unimproved will have an added tax of $146.46 annually. Residents currently pay approximately $74 per parcel annually (through Measure F passed in 1997), with Measure B that amount would climb to approximately $220.46, with no enhancement to services or response times. According to Placer County Code Enforcement, the fire station has never been condemned as was stated in Measure B. It has code violations that need to be rectified. Measure K will limit the 297% tax increase to a period of three years, allowing for adequate funds to repair the existing station or construct a new modest station. During the three years Measure B will provide the district with an additional $1 million in funding. At the end of the three years an additional $30 will be added to the existing $74 (Measure F) bringing the total fire tax to approximately $104 per year. This is a 40% increase from our current fire tax of approximately $74. The blank check of Measure B will result in a station being built that the district cannot afford to sustain over time. We all support our firefighters, but with fire stations and fire districts closing every day the stakes are tremendously high. Your YES vote will ensure that the fire district lives within its means and not make dangerously, overly ambitious decisions that put them at risk. Vote YES on Measure K /s Roger Wm Robinson, Resident (NFPD) /s Wilma C. Powers, Resident /s Ronald A. Harmon, Castle City Resident /s Ronald J. Chiaratti, Retired Fireman, Resident /s James R. Gruber, Rancher Rebuttal to Arguments For It's time to separate fact from fiction. Fact: Measure K provides inadequate revenue for the Newcastle Fire Station to remain open. It raises less than $900,000 in three years - not enough to build a new, compliant fire station. Fact: Measure K takes away modest pay raises and health benefits for firefighters recently made possible by Measure B. Once again, Newcastle will be faced with high turnover rates and appalling treatment of emergency responders risking lives to protect our community. Fact: Measure K asserts that the tax increases 3% annually, but this cost of living adjustment can be zero, never more than 3%, and always requires approval of the Board of Directors at a regularly scheduled public meeting each year. Fact: The Fire Station has been declared unsafe for occupation. Firefighters sleep outside the building. Measure K does not present accurate or realistic costs to build a fire station. Measure K doesn't generate enough funds to repair the current structure or build a new station. Measure K puts the Fire District in jeopardy, deprives the district of sustainable funds, and will close our local fire station. Measure K threatens our residents, schools and businesses with the loss of life-saving emergency services. Everyone agrees a new station is needed. Unfortunately, Measure K won't fund it. Before you cast your vote, ask yourself if your health, home and keepsakes are worth $146 per year. Vote NO on Measure K to keep Newcastle Fire Department. /s Samuel Moore, Newcastle School Board Member /s Alex Blanca, Newcastle Business Owner /s Robert W. Stearns, NFPD Board Member /s Heather Marisco, Newcastle School Parent Community Member /s Nianne R. Fisch, Resident Castle City Mobile Park

Vote NO on Measure K. Measure K falls severely short of providing sufficient funds to build a fire station for Newcastle. Measure K requires our community to wait three years before there is enough money to even consider a new station and, even then, there will not be enough money to complete a basic fire station. Without a new fire station, the Newcastle fire department will have no choice but to close its doors and hang up its hoses. Firefighters currently sleep in a cramped travel trailer parked on the street and the public is not allowed in the building at any time. Measure K does not raise enough revenue to operate the Newcastle fire department. With increasing fuel, equipment and liability costs, Measure K will not raise sufficient revenue to pay these additional expenses. Measure K does not raise enough revenue to improve compensation for our low paid firefighters or provide life insurance and a health care plan. The passage of Measure B by 68% of the vote allowed the Fire District to provide Newcastle firefighters with a modest pay increase and a basic health care plan. Unfortunately, the Measure K alternative will not raise enough revenue and will result in firefighters' pay being cut back to $8.50/hr and the loss of their health plan. Measure K jeopardizes our fire department and our whole community. Without our first responders, we live at the mercy of our compromised neighboring districts who will not offer us firefighting and emergency medical services when they are on calls in their own district. Let's stay the course with Measure B's overwhelming support and direction. For the health and safety of our residents, our school, our businesses, and our firefighters, vote no on Measure K. View us on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vote-No-On-Measure-K /411089812273125 s/ Joanne K. Neft, Newcastle Business Owner, Author /s Yvonne L. Lewis, Chairman Newcastle Fire Board /s Kathleen Daugherty, Superintendent Newcastle Elementary School District /s Howard Willey, Jr., Newcastle Parent /s Jim Holmes, Placer County Supervisor Rebuttal to Arguments Against Measure K provides the same amount of revenue as the previous measure but limit's the time frame to three years. The Newcastle Fire District will not shut its doors if Measure K passes. Measure K ensures that we have sufficient funding for repairing violations on our old firehouse or for building a modest new station. The old historic fire station has not been condemned as claimed, which can be verified by Placer County Code Enforcement. This station is still being used by the public. Measure K provides sufficient revenue to maintain the Newcastle firefighters 20% to 35% salary increase and the health benefits provided by the current fire board of directors retroactive to July 1, 2012. Measure K allows a tax increase to continue in place for three years. After three years, the $146.46 tax increase will be replaced by a $30 additional tax per parcel to fund firefighters salaries and benefits. Taxpayers cannot be expected to pay additional taxes with yearly increases not to exceed 3% to fund foolish spending by the Newcastle Fire Protection Board. During the last fiscal year, the board squandered more than $76,000 on discarded fire house plans, a Bay area consulting firm and an expensive special election. And the waste of taxpayer dollars continues. A YES on Measure K will force the Newcastle Fire Board of Directors to live within their means as taxpayers do. The Board must learn to budget and spend our tax dollars productively. /s Timothy Compton, Resident /s Doreen Compton, Resident