According to recent polling, property owners would support a proposed Benefit Assessment for the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District to ensure two-stations are not shuttered later this year.
Preliminary figures show voters will be asked if they want to pay between $100-$200 in the form of a Benefit Assessment to raise $4 million in new revenue–voters will be sent a ballot and will have to return a “yes” or “no” vote by mail. If voters reject the Benefit Assessment, two fire stations are expected to close in November.
The fire board is using the theory that the Baseline Service level will be 3-stations (plus the Sunshine Station) with 32 personnel while Expanded Service under a benefit assessment would provide a total of 5 stations (plus the Sunshine Station) with 50 personnel.
The methodology behind the polling was a telephone survey of 400 ECCFPD residential property owners between July 10-16. A margin of error was estimated at 4.9 percentage points.
Key Findings of the survey said:
- The Fire District and local fire fighters receive very strong ratings from local homeowners.
- Many understand that closing additional stations may leave them with less than adequate fire protection services.
- A majority support the fire assessment.
- Keeping the money local and maintaining fire emergency response times are important components and messages to highlight.
If the election were held today, would you vote yes to approve or no to reject this measure? Well which way do you lean — toward voting yes to approve, or voting no to reject the measure?
- 57% yes (solid 53%)
- 40% no (solid 38%)
- 3% undecided/don’t know
The polling found residents in the City of Brentwood would support the Benefit Assessment the highest with 60%, meanwhile the rest of the District came in at 54%.
According to polling, 49 percent (strongly agree/agree) trust the Fire District to properly manage our tax dollars. Meanwhile, 39 percent (strongly agree/agree) say the Fire District already has enough money, it’s just mismanaged.
The polling also showed that 33 percent of those polled will vote “No” on any assessment or tax increase, no matter what it is for.
Polling also highlighted that those surveyed would prefer a 5 year “sunset” clause verses a 7 or 10 year “sunset” while those surveyed preferred not to include an “escalator” within the assessment.
The Survey was conducted by EMC Research.
9 comments
Love how 400 people can be polled and that shows property owners will support this? I seriously doubt even 50% would support this when it comes time to vote.
I guess I am in the 39% who say this district is mismanaged. Shame on them for asking for more money when they already get an amount that was determined at the start when the District was created. If that was the case, they should have stuck with what they had. Now they are asking for more. Sorry, I am a no and will stay a no. 400 people could have been anymore.
Wrong.
The District was formed in 2002.
The amount they receive was determined in 1978.
It’s too bad we can’t have an issue literacy test in advance of allowing people to vote. Too many make decisions based on false information or ignorance.
Polls can be interpreted any way the person paying for the poll desires. That is the beauty of polls. With the population of the area it concerns 400 is probably way more than they actually needed to get their answer..
I’m a solid NO on a benefit assessment. I’m not sure I trust polling results based on a series of loaded questions and comments. ECT should do a simple poll without all of the noise.
It’s sad that the people who “assume” the money is mismanaged don’t have their facts straight about how much money actually comes into the district for these services. Get educated on what is really going on and you may change your view/vote. It’s 2014, not 1978 or 2002. Until you have your facts straight, it’s actually ignorance to state the money is being mismanaged.
I would love to see where all you guys tend on paying a little extra when your house is burning down and the only station still open is 20 mind away. Wouldn’t you rather pay a little bit more a month to be safer and know that your being protected rather than save some money? Closing fire stations is the worst thing to happen to any county and for it to be happening to a county where I have loved ones living is a nightmare. Come on people. It’s just money you can’t take it to the grave. Use it for a good cause.
There were 40 Firemen at my friends house in Bethel island a few years ago. They did not help save her house at all. In fact a lot of them were just standing around watching it catch on fire. Bethel Island pays enough money in property tax for it’s volunteer Firemen it had. Maybe they should think about going back to a volunteer fire department that would be paid from the taxes that are still being collected by the County from all of Bethel Islanders property taxes.
Delta dog
I have personally been at many fires on Bethel Island over the last ten years. It is so completely insulting to suggest anyone would stand bye and watch anyone’s house burn. In fact the fire fights we face on the Island are some of the most intense and risky fires we ever face. There are so many challenges out there, mainly not having fire hydrants. The fact is your local firefighters are extremely talented. Our neighbors who come to assist struggle to get drafts from the delta, the access there for engines to gain entry is difficult at best, and we have been always understaffed. Please don’t try to convince anyone it was better before. Many of the former volunteers have worked for ECCFPD full time. We know the truth. How about this, you used to send a man alone on calls all by himself to wait there for others to arrive. How could that possible be even close to acceptable. Volunteer firefighters of the past did a honorable job for many years. There are places in the United States where they still make sence. Just not here. You have far too many large fires their that can task many units from as far as Pittsburg to control. Please try to show some level of respect for the people who have put their ass on the line for you countless times.
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