Rural fire district lowers levy increase in second ballot appearance

A shed and part of a residence on Highway O just outside of California are engulfed in flames after fireworks started a fire in the shed at approximately 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 4, 2013, according to California Rural Fire Chief Steve Walters.
A shed and part of a residence on Highway O just outside of California are engulfed in flames after fireworks started a fire in the shed at approximately 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 4, 2013, according to California Rural Fire Chief Steve Walters.

After its last proposed tax levy increase failed to be approved by voters by the slimmest of margins earlier this year, the California Rural Fire Protection District will again appear on the ballot in the upcoming Nov. 3 election.

Voters will be deciding whether to approve the first tax increase in the more than 20-year history of the District. The failed measure from June's election asked voters to approve a 60-cent increase, bringing the total levy to 80 cents. This time around, the CRFPD is halving what it is asking for and requesting a 30-cent increase that brings the total levy to 50 cents, hoping to garner slightly more support from voters in the pursuit of securing crucial funding to update equipment.

Last time it was taken to a vote, the measure failed by a narrow margin, with just 16 of the 708 votes cast being the difference between its passage.

The District's current 20-cent tax levy has remained the same since it became a fire district in 1998 - previously known as the California Rural Fire Department, it was first supported by an annual fee before it expanded into a fire district with stations in California, McGirk, Clarksburg and Kliever that today serves 2,465 residents in Moniteau County.

CRFPD chief Shawn Merrill said feedback from voters in the aftermath of the June election indicated they didn't like that the original increase was as high as it was.

Merrill said having to make this compromise meant dropping some of the things the District wanted to do with an increased budget, but the amended levy increase will still allow it to take care of some much-needed purchases - truck rentals and updated life saving equipment and training.

"Basically, we just want to help our customers as best as we can, and right now, we're doing everything we can with the equipment and training that we have," Merrill said.

Merrill said the District has been trying to get the word out by going door-to-door and getting its signs advertising the ballot measure posted once again in the meantime.

"We've just got to keep working and trying to get something a little more," Merrill said. "Hopefully, that'll better serve the community."