League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Marin County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
	Measure P Paramedic Services County Service Area 27 Ross Valley Paramedic Service Area Special Parcel Tax - 2/3 Approval Required Pass: 444 / 67.79% Yes votes ...... 211 / 32.21% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure P	Arguments Against Measure P
Since 1982 the voters of the Ross Valley have continued to approve a special tax to help fund the fire department based paramedic service. You are being asked to again support the tax with modest annual $6 incremental increases for four years to a maximum rate of $75. The Ross Valley Paramedic Authority is a partnership of 8 Ross Valley communities that have combined efforts to deliver this exceptional level of care. The initial Ross Valley Paramedic Authority tax provided for a single ambulance. The expectation for paramedic care from our citizens has dictated that service levels continue to expand and evolve. Paramedic care is now provided through a system that includes state of the art fire department paramedic ambulance units and with trained paramedics aboard fire engines so that advanced emergency care can arrive as quickly as possible. The Ross Valley Paramedic Authority will continue the responsible, transparent approach to managing the costs of our emergency medical response service and adequately provide for the long-term safety of our community. A Yes Vote Will: Ensure the existing high level paramedic emergency medical response services Continue local control over these tax revenues Maintain rapid emergency response times Your tax pays for a significant portion of the paramedic program. Additional funds are collected from insurance companies through third party billing and from billing of non-resident customers. In addition, your tax covers continuing paramedic training, the cost of supplies and equipment and the replacement of ambulance units when needed. Our goal is to continue to provide state of the art paramedic care in the Ross Valley. We need your vote to continue this vital service. Vote YES on Measure P. s/KATIE RICE Supervisor, District 2 s/STEVE KINSEY Supervisor, District 4 Rebuttal to Arguments For	Citizens for Sustainable Pension Plans recommends that you vote "NO" on Measure P. Our reasoning follows: Measure P requests taxpayer money to provide services that should be funded through the normal operating revenues of the Service Area. The Service Area has asked for funding to mask the systematic mismanagement of their operations. Money is fungible. A "YES" vote on Measure P is a vote to allow our elected officials to avoid setting priorities and allocating funds appropriately. The systematic mismanagement of operations is highlighted through excessive pensions and retiree medical plans. Mismanaged pensions and other retirement plans are endemic in the public sector and the Service Area is no exception. These plans suffer from major problems: The plans are extremely generous. The value of the plans dwarfs the value of corresponding plans provided in the private sector. In addition to their lavish plan costs, the plans are subject to extreme cost fluctuations and risk. The costs of plans are based upon very optimistic assumptions. Unless those assumptions are met (and they have not been this century), there is a funding shortfall (i.e., unfunded liability). This shortfall is recovered through increased contributions from the Service Area (i.e., the taxpayer). These higher contributions come at a cost. Either the Service Area reduces services or it requests more money. Measure P is an example of a request for more money from the taxpayer. If taxpayers vote for Measure P, they are enabling the Service Area to continue its mismanagement by maintaining its rich and financially volatile retirement plans. A better idea is that the Service Area reform its plans to stabilize its budget and to eliminate the need for taxpayer requests such as Measure P. Vote against this measure! s/JODY MORALES Founder and President, Citizens for Sustainable Pension Plans Rebuttal to Arguments Against Although we understand the concerns about pension costs cited in the argument against Measure P, this measure is about supporting existing critical public safety services. The RVPA exists to support a well-integrated, community based program that seeks to reduce costs through efficiencies gained through a shared service. The total FY 2014- 15 budget for CSA 27 is $35,800. Measure P's $6 annual increase for four years will ensure the continued provision of these critical emergency services for residents. The Ross Valley Paramedic Authority has been voter-funded since 1983. It is one of the longest running and most successful regional agency partnerships in Marin. Due to the cost associated with providing paramedic first response and ambulance transport services, each of the eight communities in the Ross Valley formed the RVPA partnership in order to share the costs of the program, which saves taxpayer dollars vs. independent city, town and County programs for this service. The RVPA parcel tax funds are only used to provide emergency response, fire department based, ad - vanced life support paramedic services. Because of the funding support of the RVPA property tax, there is no direct cost to Ross Valley residents for paramedic care or emergency ambulance transport. If Measure P fails, patients could be directly charged to help offset the costs of providing paramedic service and ambulance transport. These direct charges could adversely impact elderly residents who are on a fixed income rather than being shared by the community. We urge your support of Measure P. s/PETER R. ARRIGONI Retired, County of Marin Board of Supervisors s/JENNIFER RIENKS PhD, Director, Marin Healthcare District s/GARY HROMADA President, Oak Manor Homeowners Association s/SHARON J. JACKSON Board Member, Whistlestop; former Director, Marin Healthcare District s/ROGER MEAGOR Retired, Fire Chief, Ross Valley Fire Department

Full Text of Measure P

RESOLUTION NO. 2014-47 RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF MARIN SERVICE AREA NO. 27 CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE CONSOLIDATED WITH THE NOVEMBER 4, 2014 GENERAL ELECTION ON A MEASURE ADOPTING AN INCREASE IN A SPECIAL TAX FOR PARAMEDIC SERVICES EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2015; ADOPTING INTENDED BALLOT LANGUAGE; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION The Board of Supervisors of the County of Marin does hereby resolve as follows: WHEREAS, this Board is the governing Board of County Service Area No. 27 within the unincorporated area of the County of Marin, which Area has extraordinary needs owing to demands upon the services of said Area; and WHEREAS, a previous election of imposition of special taxes was held in County Service Area No. 27 pursuant to Articles XIIIA and XIIIB of the California Constitution, and Article 3.5, Chapter 1, Part 1, Division 1, Title V (§§ 50075, et seq.) of the California Government Code; and WHEREAS, the increase in the imposition of said tax is required to meet the cost of paramedic services; and WHEREAS, the maximum allowable tax was established at $51.00 per residential unit plus a $0.50 County administrative fee, and $51.00 per 1,500 square feet of structure in non-residential use, plus a $.50 County administrative fee; and WHEREAS, the Ross Valley Paramedic Tax has been annually levied and each four years the tax rate reset and approved by election and is scheduled to expire June 30, 2015; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Board hereby calls an election to be consolidated with the November 4, 2014 general election, at which election the issue to be presented to the voters of County Service Area No. 27 is as follows: COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 27 PARAMEDIC SERVICES SPECIAL TAX MEASURE Shall there be a continuation of the four year special tax for paramedic services in the amount of $57 in the first year and raising the tax $6 annually to a maximum of $75 per taxable living unit, or per 1,500 square feet of structure on a developed parcel in non-residential use, with the appropriations limit increased by the amount of said tax for the next four years? BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that rebuttals shall be received to ballot arguments made by this Board on behalf of said special tax. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the election is consolidated with the statewide general election and any other elections to be held within Marin County on November 4, 2014, and that it include in its proclamation or notice of the election that Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Division 9 of the Elections Code relating to arguments concerning county measures applies, and the County Counsel is directed to prepare an impartial analysis. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that pursuant to Elections Code section 10418, all proceedings related to, connected with, and incidental to the election shall be regulated and performed in accordance with the provisions of law regulating the statewide election. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the special tax if approved by 2/3 vote of the electorate, for the purposes outlined herein, is due from every person who owns a living unit or non-residential structure within this Area as reflected upon the rolls of the County Assessor at the same time ad valorem tax is due and is to be collected in the same manner. The Marin County Tax Collector shall collect the tax and any penalty or interest due hereunder. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that failure of this measure shall not affect the existing special tax, previously authorized by voters effective through June 30, 2015. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if any part of this Resolution is held invalid the remainder of the Resolution shall not be affected. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of County Service Area No. 27, held on the 17th day of June, 2014 by the following vote: AYES: SUPERVISORS Judy Arnold, Susan L. Adams, Steve Kinsey, Katie Rice, Kathrin Sears NOES: NONE ABSENT: NONE s/KATHRIN SEARS President, Board of Supervisors ATTEST: s/M. S. HYMEL Clerk