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Mail ballot election approved for Campo fire tax
By Joe Naiman
The Alpine Sun
CAMPO — The San Diego County Board of
Supervisors approved a mail ballot election for County Service
Area No. 112 so that residents of the county service area can
vote on a benefit tax. CSA No. 112 serves the community of
Campo.
The supervisors’ 5-0 vote on Jan. 30 set a May 6
deadline for receipt of the ballots by the Registrar of Voters.
The ballots will be mailed beginning April 7. A two-thirds
majority will be needed to approve the annual tax of $100 per
parcel.
At one time CSA No. 112 had benefit fees, but that tax
authorization expired in 1995. The district’s current funding
consists of $16,800 from county property taxes, and the existing
budget must cover only the most basic services such as worker’s
compensation, liability insurance, and dispatch and
administrative services.
No money is available for expenses such as safety
clothing, training, vehicle repair, or equipment maintenance.
The fire district has been augmenting its budget
through fundraising events in order to purchase fuel and pay
utility bills.
The district sought to pass assessments in 1998 and
2002, but neither vote obtained the necessary two-thirds
majority. On June 6, 2007, the CSA No. 112 board of directors
adopted a resolution requesting that the Board of Supervisors
authorize the Registrar of Voters to conduct a mail ballot
proceeding to initiate a special tax.
The tax is expected to raise $96,300 annually.
Funding would be used to help offset and pay for
expenses incurred by volunteer firefighters. The tax would take
effect for Fiscal Year 2008-09.
As of Dec. 8 the boundaries of the district contained
807 registered voters. CSA No. 112 will pay for the cost of the
election, which is estimated to be between $6,000 and $7,000.
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