Home East County Overview Of The 9-1-1 Emergency Fire Response Measure For East Contra Costa Fire District

Overview Of The 9-1-1 Emergency Fire Response Measure For East Contra Costa Fire District

by ECT

The following information was provided by the Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County, Local 1230, which explains in depth the Benefit Assessment the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District is hoping to pass.

If approved by property owners, the District would generate enough revenue to ensure 2-stations do not shutter and the District will continue to serve East County with 5-stations.

Overview Of The 9-1-1 Emergency Fire Response Measure For East Contra Costa Fire District

ECCFPD Benefit Assesment

A federal grant that keeps two of our local fire stations open is set to expire in November and cannot be renewed or extended. Unless new revenue is secured now, two local fire stations must close permanently and 18 firefighter/EMT positions will be eliminated.

This would leave 250 square miles and over 100,000 residents in East County with just three fire stations and nine on-duty firefighter/EMTs to keep us safe.

If two more fire stations close this year and we lose 40% of the firefighter/EMTs currently serving East County, 9-1-1 emergency fire response times will increase to 15 minutes or more. Fires double in size every 30 seconds and, when deprived of oxygen, permanent brain damage can occur in as little as four minutes and brain death in as little as eight minutes.

This week you are receiving a ballot in the mail and your vote will determine the future of local 9-1-1 fire response. A YES vote will provide locally controlled revenue that can only be used to:

  1. Preserve rapid 9-1-1 emergency response times
  2. Protect the fire department’s ability to respond to multiple emergencies occurring at the same time
  3. Maintain fire stations, fire engines and lifesaving equipment
  4. Prevent the permanent closing of two local fire stations
  5. Prevent the reduction of the number of on-duty firefighter/EMTs

Strict fiscal accountability is required:

  • Every penny raised will be spent here in East County
  • Funds can only be used for fire protection and emergency response services
  • No funds can be taken away by the state or county or used for other purposes
  • An independent citizens’ oversight committee and annual audits ensure funds are spent properly
  • The proposal automatically expires in five years and cannot be extended without another vote

This stable local funding comes at a very small price to pay, approximately 30 cents per day for the typical homeowner, to keep 9-1-1 emergency fire response services alive in East County.

Vote YES to Protect Rapid 9-1-1 Fire Response in East County!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

What area does East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) serve?
ECCFPD provides fire, rescue and emergency medical services in a 249 square mile area of Eastern Contra Costa County. The District basically covers the Cities of Brentwood and Oakley, the Town of Discovery Bay, the communities of Byron, Bethel Island and Knightsen, the Marsh Creek/Morgan Territory area, and all other areas to the East of Antioch and East and South of Clayton. It serves a population of 105,000.

How was the District impacted by the recent recession?
The District relies primarily on property tax revenue and the Great Recession and associated decrease in property values led to a 40% decrease in funding for local fire and emergency medical response.

What has the District done so far to live within its means?
The District has closed three of the original eight local fire stations; reduced fire suppression employees from 57 to 48; frozen salaries from 2007 until 2012; reduced administrative employees from 4 to 2; sold its surplus equipment; and reduced budgeted expenditures to a minimum. Additionally, our firefighter/Emergency Medical Technicians’ (EMTs) take-home salaries are reduced by up to 25% by contributions for pensions and healthcare.

How would further service reductions impact emergency response times in East County?
If two fire stations close and 18 firefighter/EMTs are laid off, 9-1-1 emergency response times to portions of East County could increase to 15 minutes or more. For victims of heart attacks, strokes, accidents and other medical emergencies, permanent brain damage can occur in as little as four minutes and brain death in as little as eight minutes. The District’s ability to respond to multiple emergencies at the same time will be especially hampered.

Why is the District proposing a 9-1-1 Fire Suppression Measure?
A temporary federal grant that keeps two of our local fire stations open everyday is set to expire on November 17, 2014. The grant cannot be renewed or extended. The Fire District Board of Directors has made substantial budget cuts and has evaluated all options for funding. Unless new revenue is secured between now and November, two local fire stations must close and 18 firefighter/EMTs will be laid off. This will leave 249 square miles in East County with just 3 fire stations and 9 on-duty firefighter/EMTs to keep us safe.

What will the 9-1-1 Emergency Fire Response Measure fund?

  • Preserving 9-1-1 emergency response times
  • Maintaining the number of on-duty firefighter/EMTs
  • Keeping local fire stations open
  • Maintaining the ability to respond to multiple 9-1-1 emergencies

How can I be sure these funds will be spent wisely?

  • The 9-1-1 Fire Suppression Measure will require strict fiscal accountability provisions, including:
  • All funds will stay in East County
  • No funds can be taken by the state or other agencies
  • Mandatory annual audits and reports to the community will be required
  • No funds can be used for administrative costs or administrator salaries
  • An independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee will ensure funds are spent as promised

What will happen if the 9-1-1 Fire Suppression Measure does not pass?
The Fire District’s projected budget will only support three fire stations and nine on-duty first responders to serve 249 square miles and 105,000 residents in East County. This will require closing two fire stations and reducing the number of on-duty firefighters by 40%.

How is the District funded?
The majority of District funding comes from a fixed percentage of the 1% Property Tax on assessed valuation of all parcels within the District. This percentage is capped by Prop 13 and is not at the discretion of the District. The District also receives additional funding through federal grants, which only provide funding for a limited number of years. The District currently has a federal SAFER Grant, which will expire in November. If replacement funding is not secured, this loss will lead to the closure of two fire stations and have a direct impact on local 9-1-1 emergency response times.

Are there other significant sources of funds to which the District has access?
No. The District has no access to the General Fund of the County or either City within the District. The District receives a portion of the $10 County EMS fee, which provides 2% of the budget. The District receives income from one Community Facilities District, that of Cypress Lakes (Summer Lakes), which provides 1.5% of the budget. These funding sources are insufficient to help maintain the current levels of emergency response services. Any additional funding must be approved by local voters residing in the District.

How do the salaries of our local firefighter/EMTs compare to others in the area?
East County firefighter/EMTs are already paid 40% less than those in nearby fire departments.

What can be done to reduce pension costs?
East County firefighter/EMTs already pay a significant portion of their own pension costs, which reduced their take-home salaries by up to 25%. New employees were shifted to a smaller pension plan, assuring that all employees pay their fair share. The Board has done everything it is legally authorized to do.

When will I have the opportunity to vote on the 9-1-1 Fire Suppression Measure?
Ballots were mailed out to all property owners in the District August 22 and must be received by October 6 to be counted.

What if I don’t receive my ballot in the mail?
If you did not receive your ballot or can’t find it, please call TrueBallot at 888-854-3190.

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37 comments

Jill Thompson 42 Aug 25, 2014 - 6:00 am

Very sneaky ECT. Why not mention 30 cents per day = $109 annual?

People should be paying attention to what the Contra Costa Taxpayers are saying. This assessment is illegal.

Oppose Proposed Unconstitutional Prop 218 East Contra Costa Fire Benefit Assessment Before August 4th

In 1996, voters approved Prop 218 “Right to Vote on Taxes Act.” Prop 218 requires a ballot to be mailed to property owners for all assessments and property related fees with the exception of water, sewer, and garbage rates. Street lighting assessments, storm water and urban runoff management assessments, etc., are all examples of a ballot that is mailed to voters. The ballot is weighted by the property size.

Prior to Prop 218, cities were attempting to pass police assessments. Police and fire services are a general benefit that should be paid for via taxes on all residents, not just assessments against homeowners. According to the drafter of Prop 218, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association said that the use of a benefit assessment rather than a special tax to fund fire suppression services constitutes a violation of article XIII D of the California Constitution (“Proposition 218”).

The Contra Costa Taxpayers Association opposes the use of benefit assessments by the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District or any other fire district. The fire district’s spiraling pension costs is forcing the district to cut fire service just to pay for its pension benefits. In addition, East Contra Costa Fire Protection District prepared for a parcel tax election for either June or Nov 2014. Polling suggested no support for a parcel tax. Then they decided for a benefit

Steve Smith Aug 25, 2014 - 6:36 am

There is no sugarcoating the fact that, like EVERY governmental body in the state, ECCFPD is struggling with massive pension costs. This situation was created in 2002 and 2003 when the District was freshly formed and under control of the Board of Supervisors. The local Board took control in 2010.

I’m not going to try changing anyone’s mind about public employee pensions. Every one is entitled to their opinion. They are not, however, entitled to their own facts.

The overriding fact is that the District Board of Directors has done EVERYTHING permitted by current law to reduce or manage pension costs. We have implemented every part of the Governor’s 2-Tier Plan as passed by the Legislature in 2012. Our latest contracts with the Employee Associations call for each employee to pay 100% of their share of pension costs. We are fully participating in, and current with our payments to, the Contra Costa County Employees Retirement Association program to catch up with unfunded liabilities. (Our portion of unfunded liabilities remains the same no matter how many current employees we have.)

We have never had the more outrageous pension spiking provisions of some other districts, and our contributions to CCCERA do not help fund those payments. We are only pooled with CONFIRE which is a net benefit due to our size. As to the vacation sell-back controversy of the last two years, that is gone forever, barring a reversal in an appellate court.

Any employee who was going to exercise that right had to retire by a Court-imposed deadline last month. Some did so, from CONFIRE and other County departments; NONE did from ECCFPD. We have our own program to eliminate Unfunded Liabilities from Employee Medical by 2018/19, and we are current with that.

The Fire Chief and the Board Finance Committee work continuously with CCCERA to stay abreast of developments, obtain our most favorable rates, and accurately integrate them into our five- and ten- Budget Projections.

Mr. Aliferis of the Contra Costa Taxpayer’s association is well aware of this, as we have been reaching out to them for months and providing them with any information they desired. Given that, his statements on Monday night were shamefully misleading. Both he and Mr. Bray will acknowledge these facts in private conversation, but have chosen to not do so publicly in any media forum I have seen.

Anyone who wants something more done about pension costs, your chariot awaits. It’s called the Capitol Corridor. Get on one and go talk to the only people who can change pension law, or sign an initiative petition, or wait to see what happens in the courts. That is your right. But if you want to place the lives, health, and property of 105,000 of us at further risk to make a point, you and I have issues.

ECV Aug 25, 2014 - 8:32 am

Mr. Smith (Fire board member),

“Every one is entitled to their opinion. They are not, however, entitled to their own facts.”

If so, why did you proceed to substitute your opinion for facts?

“There is no sugarcoating the fact that, like EVERY governmental body in the state, ECCFPD is struggling with massive pension costs. This situation was created in 2002 and 2003 when the District was freshly formed and under control of the Board of Supervisors. The local Board took control in 2010.”

You made those statements.

Fact;
You are wrong.

Fact;
NOT every governmental body is “struggling with massive pension costs”

Fact;
The situation was NOT created in 2002 OR 2003

Fact;
The local board did not “take control……”

You might want to be factually correct before trying to school thie readership with your mistaken opinions. All of the above facts which conflict your opinions are well documented and recorded by many public agencies.

Joe Aug 25, 2014 - 7:28 pm

ECV IS WRONG. By the way Mr Smith is available as a board member with facts and resolutions. ECV hides behind a fake name.

ECV Aug 25, 2014 - 8:59 pm

Nice try “Joe”. Try disputing even one of the facts provided.

You can’t, end of story.

P.S. I’m sure by posting as “Joe”, you are accountable right? Just as accountable as Mr. Smith who has now been caught in a lie. What a joke.

Concerned Voter Aug 25, 2014 - 5:28 pm

Mr. Smith,

Two facts: The budgeted pension costs are going up each year, and budgeted funds for active firefighters is going down.

The district needs more money, I have no doubt. But to deny pension costs are increasing and will be greater than active employee salaries in 2015 calls your “facts” into doubt.

There are other ways to raise revenue. Legal ones….

Burk Aug 25, 2014 - 6:37 am

As far as I am concerned, the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association have no room to complain. They have had more than 2-years to come to the table to discuss a mutual solution to a revenue problem. They failed to do that.

They Taxpayers Association is lying to voters when they mention “spiraling pension costs” because the District was formed in 2002 and they have few actually receiving a pension at this time–they also addressed pensions with a 2-tier system. They also blame salary, however, ECCFPD pays 40% less than neighboring District. What is shameful is CoCo Tax ties in ECCFPD with neighboring Districts when they are the lowest paid w/least benefits. The sad part in CoCo Tax is they seem to want to ignore the housing bust which lowered property tax revenue to the District and as soon as houses were sold/transferred ownership, the District lost the possibility of regaining2008 levels in terms of tax revenue.

For example, the home they were receiving taxes on valued at $500,000 and sold in 2011 for $250,000. The new tax base is based off the value of $250k = meaning they lost 50% of the tax from that home—now do that across the District and that is a bunch of money lost and not recovered for at least 10+ years.

Tired of taxes Aug 26, 2014 - 2:54 am

This is in fact a work around the voters whom have said no on this consistently.

Also values are up 36% in last 3 years, though this is not a return to previous levels it is above forecasts

Buy a Clue Aug 25, 2014 - 7:10 am

Jill, the Contra Costa Taxpayers association is not a Judge or a court of law. Alex Aliferis’ OPINION that it is illegal is just that…….his opinion.

For the assessment to be legal, the case for a special benefit has to be made. It cannot be simply a general benefit. The engineer’s report has made this special benefit case.

Why, in the propaganda piece from the CCTPA, is this not mentioned?

Further, Mr. Aliferis continues to make false claims when he comments in public on this measure while at the same time refusing to acknowledge that the concept of benefit assessments for fire services is supported by case law.

What I want to see is Aliferis’ handlers come out and comment on this. Alex does not even live in the District and he’s only carrying the message that their Executive Board has discussed and agreed that he carry.

You could start with Arne Simonson who reads this blog, but who also does not live in the District. Yet he feels he should dictate the level of public safety that protects my family.

This is not about pensions or compensation packages. If you entirely removed the pension factor from this equation you are still closing stations. This is about ideology and union busting, with public safety and the safety of the District’s citizens being used as a pawn by the CCTPA.

The people in the shadows of the CCTPA putting out this message have salaries and pensions that far, far exceed those of the dedicated public sector employees they are attacking here. You and I are paying for those as well. But they are counting on low information voters to not figure out that little scam.

Inexcusable.

Speak the truth CCTPA or go away.

Joe Aug 25, 2014 - 4:06 pm

Not illegal. Try again. Lawyers have already looked into it. Go after the banks and stop using this small district as a political platform for your agendas. Actually post your address so when I can t save a life due to response delay I can hand you the date for the memorial service.

Concerned Voter Aug 25, 2014 - 9:50 pm

Joe,

I respect your position here, but what does this assessment have to do with you saving lives? I read the voter information pretty carefully and it said this assessment is ONLY intended to enhance fire suppression services.

According to the information provided, this vote will not improve emergency medical services or save more lives, nor will it reopen any of the stations in Byron, Bethel Island and Discovery Bay. The assessment we are being asked to accept is about improving the districts ability to fight grass and structure fires.

This is a key point. If you disagree, please explain. Otherwise, please stop putting out misinformation. It will confuse voters.

And is this really the best use of our our limited funds? With money so tight, should we spend more on putting out grass and structure fires, or should we focus on improved emergency medical services? If we are talking about saving the most lives for our money, aren’t our limited resources better spent on QRVs, ambulances, paramedics, and Emergency Rooms?

I think the last district tax ballot measure made more sense if public safety is the goal. It seems like this is a half hearted attempt to skirt the 2/3 requirement for tax increases. If this is only going to enhance fire suppression services then I think scam may be the right word for it.

Bobby Lott Aug 25, 2014 - 6:05 am

Hey ECT, Why don’t you tell everyone how much of a scam this is. They only did this assessment so that it can pass without everyone voting. Everyone who chooses not to vote is basically saying they are okay with the tax. VOTE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!

EastCountyToday Aug 25, 2014 - 6:19 am

@Bobby

Scam? the Board approved to put it on the ballot. There is no scam, the public can either approve or reject it. You may not agree with it, but it does not make it a scam.

Joe Aug 25, 2014 - 4:16 pm

Stop lying to the people please. Everything is public and it is not illegal. Stop using the district as a political platform. CCTPA IS A SCAM.

Anyone come to your local firefighters and talk to us we welcome you. PLEASE

Julio Aug 25, 2014 - 7:39 am

Why are they doing the post card vote which normally yields small numbers returned? Could this not be put on the November ballot or was the decision made too late?

ECV Aug 25, 2014 - 8:15 am

Julio, you just figured out what they are hoping the public won’t. This type of balloting vote amounts to a “protest vote”, therefore if I am not mistaken a non vote counts as a yes vote. YOU READ IT RIGHT- a NON vote amounts to a YES vote. The fire district is relying on this tactic as a Hail Mary to bring needed revenue to the district. For this BAD tax to pass they only need a small number of yes votes coupled with a whole lot of unreturned “post card votes” to occur. Make no mistake, this was a conscious decision with the board to go this route. Rather unfortunate really, because it raises trust issues and collectively dooms the possibility of additional funding in the future. The fact. Is, with this act of desperation they have locked in sub standard service for East County.

If I am wrong perhaps Steve Smith or one of the other directors who earlier (and publicly) stated this was illegal and that the district would probably get sued, might chime in. Obviously he dwells here on this website.

Steve Smith Aug 25, 2014 - 9:36 am

@Julio and @ECV-

1. A Fire Suppression Benefit Assessment ballot proceeding is not a “measure” as defined by the Elections Code. It is conducted by mail ballot sent to affected property owners, not by a vote of the public at large.

2. A unreturned ballot is an unreturned ballot, period. The “support” versus “oppose” percentages are determined by ballots received.

3. To my recollection, no sitting Board Member has EVER stated publicly that the Fire Suppression Benefit Assessment is illegal. I certainly haven’t. When the rubber met the road, the Board voted 9-0 on each of three steps to initiate the Fire Suppression Benefit Assessment ballot proceeding.

4. Perhaps ECV refers to Director Prather of the Rodeo-Hercules Fire Protection District.

ECV Aug 25, 2014 - 12:40 pm

@ Steve,

1. Same difference. Its still a tax and this one is best represented by its acronym: BAD A “B”enefit “A”ssessment “D”istrict. I wonder if the nice people of Byron, Bethel Island, Brentwood and Discovery Bay feel a benefit to all the fine work you have done while gutting their fire houses? Nothing says benefit like driving past an empty fire station and knowing there is no possibility of it being reopened, even if the benefit assessment tax passed.

2. So we can be clear and for the record; you are saying it is not the amount of no votes you receive in relationship to the amount of registered parcels/property owners (mailings). Please state it clearly, what is the percentage of yes votes needed for this assessment to pass, is it 50+1? You are stating that unreturned ballots do not count, rather this is strictly a yes vs. no vote (popular vote of registered home owners) correct? Be truthful here Steve, you are on the record.

3. I and a few others who were sitting at a fire board meeting, ALL heard YOU state it during your comments. I have confirmed this with several sources. Either you don’t remember or you are lying. Neither would really surprise me.

4. No, Iwas not referring to Bill Prather. It was YOU Steve Smith, director of the ECCFPD and coincidentally the #1 fan of the Steve Smith fan club. At least Bill Prather knew the legal ground he was standing on.

5. I sent in my ballot marked “NO” today. I was very careful to fill in the entire box next to NO. Amongst other things, I cannot support a board so deep in denial and so fundamentally out of touch.

Laugh Koe Aug 25, 2014 - 11:17 am

Good info Steve.

Are the ballots going to be public records, meaning the voting decision of each individual voter is open to public inspection?

If so, that seems completely un-American.

Steve Smith Aug 25, 2014 - 12:52 pm

Depending on the ownership structure of the property, one or more individuals decides how the Protest Proceeding Ballot is cast on behalf of that property. Someone must sign on behalf of that property, and yes, by State law, the Protest Proceeding Ballots are public records. This is due to the fact that each property has a vote weighting equal to it’s proposed assessment, and the results must be publicly verifiable.

To repeat, this is not an election measure as defined by the Elections Code. It is a portion of an admiistrative proceeding. You may feel it is un-American, but election secrecy laws do not apply here.

Joe Aug 25, 2014 - 4:01 pm

Yes they are. Actually you can be there for the count. Also visit any firehouse and they( and I) will be more than happy to answer any questions. Also attend a meeting. Nothing is a secret as the tax payers association wants to make it seem. ECCFPD has many ways for the public to get info.

Julio Aug 25, 2014 - 12:18 pm

Well, I don’t live out there, we have our own messes in Antioch, but this just doesn’t smell right

ECV Aug 25, 2014 - 2:51 pm

You are correct Julio, it doesn’t pass the smell test. And yet the directors wonder why there is so much distrust within the district. The initial board was tasked with two items over a decade ago. 1. Establish independent status so that the public would elect the directors. 2. Secure long term revenue to properly fund the district. To date they have not accomplished either one.

In the end it’s the public and firefighters that suffer the inept leadership of the board.

Public Record Ballot Aug 25, 2014 - 3:29 pm

A non-secret ballot is just one more way of making sure they get yes votes. I can easily see a list of addresses that voted against the measure being posted at fire stations…followed by detours en route.

Are we getting another “sky is falling” mailer at the same time we get the ballot by any chance?

The threshold is also much lower for this type of measure…50%+1 vote vs 66%.

Steve Smith Aug 25, 2014 - 11:00 pm

@Public-

I would, without reservation, trust in the honor and intregity of any of our Firefighters over someone like you who would level a scurrilous charge like that.

getagrip Aug 25, 2014 - 3:38 pm

why do you people that don’t live in East county butt the F out……… you always have to chime in where your business concerns don’t matter cleanup your own scum and problems up in Antioch/Pittsburg and butt out of our areas issues…. no hidden agenda for this assessment we want our stations so let us speak and vote yes or no. This side of east county has growth issues not spending issues we have been living on farming community tax $$ not a large city $$ one of the hardest hit with large amounts of foreclosures which means less funding for the stations…this is the issue not pensions or over spending! we as homeowners need to fix it!!!.. get a grip and help the situation instead of making it worse east contra costa fire dept are underpaid and work damn hard to keep us all safe its our time as homeowners to show these guys we care for their safety, our safety, our families safety ect… its not about pensions, pay or any BS people say its about this is about keeping our city and our firefighters safe by keeping 5 stations OPEN..this area CAN NOT RUN on 3 stations if this assessment doesn’t pass they can barely run on the 5 they have…. we need to help ECCFPD go forward not backwards.. these guys are always out showing community support its our turn to show them we support them by keeping our stations open..

My2cents Aug 25, 2014 - 4:49 pm

I’m voting yes.

Vincent Wells Aug 25, 2014 - 5:05 pm

First of all I will indentify myself. I am Vince Wells and the union president of Local 1230 and represent the firefighters of East Contra Costa, Con FIre, Rodeo Hercules, Pinole, El Cerrito, and Moraga Orinda. I work for Con Fire. All 6 of these agencies have different pay and benefit levels in which ECCFPD are of the lowest.
Attorneys for the fire district have guided the board of directors through the process of a benefit assessment along with a consultant group who has done this before. So with that, we believe it is legal for a fire district to utilize this process. As with any other process, the voters should be able to determine the outcome.
The efforts from those on this site and others who try to prevent the vote from occurring should be questioned as to what their motives are.
The facts from a firefighters perspective is that you cannot cover 250 sq miles or protect a 100,000 people with 9 firefighters. If the grant expires and the stations are closed what is Alex and the CoCo Tax clan offering as an option other then this. Your tax rate will not go down if the service level drops. They have never offered a solution; not for Measure S or Measure Q or WXYZ for that matter. They throw out numbers, idealogical rhetoric, and threats of bankruptcy to trick the voters in this district and other districts within this county. ECCFPD is only one of 17 agencies within CCCERA (Contra Costa County Employee Retirement Association). We are not part of the state retirement system (CalPers) for pensions. They cannot go bankrupt due to ECCFPD’s ability to pay. ECCFPD will have to simply close stations in order to have the money to pay the bill before that would happen. ECCFPD is not a city department like Stockton, Vallejo, or San Bernandino, or Detroit, its a independent special district that is self reliant and self supporting. The pension cost shot up during the stock market crash and the property tax revenue that funded the district was greatly decreased by the housing market crash. On top of all that, the property tax rates established in East county during the prop 13 decision in 1978, was set at a rate established when east county was a farm town only. This rate is half of the tax increment collected in the rest of the county.The collection rate cannot be changed so the only way to make up for the growing towns and increased residential and commercial property is a new source of revenue.
The firefighters pay their required portion of pension contribution to assure no future unfunded liability. This amount is much more than our brothers and sisters in the state system pay (CalPers) for the same benefit. This District was formed in 2002 and has seen less then a handful of retirements since the district was formed. The retiree list displayed by the tax payers association don’t include true members of the ECCFPD. A decision was made to have them share the unfunded liabilities with Con Fire when they decided to depool the unfunded liabilities of the 17 agencies in CCCERA who had been established for years. Why should be asked.
The bottom line is this; you cannot cover 250 sq miles with 9 firefighters. We have debated the volunteer issue, pension issue, and alternate service delivery model for years. If you are a resident in east county please come out and do the research as to what it takes to have an adequate level of fire and emergency services. We provide fire and emergency services to you, your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. We protect the property you live in, frequent, work in, and patronize. Unless you are one of the ironman who love to post on this site and who most don’t live in this service area, please check yes when you receive your ballot. It has to pass first in order to become a legal matter. In the meantime, you will have time to do the necessary research to get the facts. This county is unprepared for a major emergency as it is; with the loss of 12 fire stations within the county and a major hospital; a earthquake, flood, major fire, hazardous material incident or any other major castrophe will bring this to everyones attention. Why wait until than.

Chuck Aug 25, 2014 - 6:02 pm

It appears that there is quite a bit of opposition on this BAD tax. More importantly are the number of concerns to its legality. Rodeo Fire passed theirs and it has already been challenged with a law suit. I did some research on prop 218 and found that there are restrictions that forbid a BAD tax from benefiting outside of the district citizens. This in itself is a serious matter since there is no way to treat residents and deny others service let alone identify the two. As far as the non participating eligible land owners not returning their mail in ballot, it makes no difference. ECV is incorrect on that part but that’s OK because he is a challenged individual. That does not mean some of his concerns are not valid. When it is time to count the ballots there are only a few ways to reveal which way the parcels voted. The first being intimidation by the district and arbitrarily posting it. That would be pathetic and sick. Another way is people associated with it trying to cause blame on certain individuals. For those disturbers, it shows no respect for any ones privacy in a vote. When the returned mail ballots have been counted, the majority will put the BAD into motion. It can be challenged easily by a mere 5% of the received votes protesting. That should be done separately by a professional consultant. It would surely be challenged by the fire union. Finally, a law suit such as Rodeo Fire is being involved in for the same type tax increase. Should a law suit be filed here, it probably would put the final nail in the coffin. I am waiting for some return calls from highly knowledgeable people at the state level to help me decide. I will vote for anything illegal or that attempts to circumvent what the people have already placed into law such as Prop 218. It appears that information that I have read and received so far makes this a questionable BAD.

Seth Barnes Aug 25, 2014 - 6:04 pm

We need the fire department. They keep us safe. Anytime you call 911 in our community they show up within a few minutes and solve our problems that we can’t solve – that’s why we have 911!!!!. it’s $109 to keep our children, neighbors and friends safe when they have a crisis. that’s around 30cents/day. who wouldn’t want that? I am voting yes without question and taking care of my family, friends and neighbors.

Better off. Aug 25, 2014 - 7:59 pm

It seems that all the nay Sayers are caught up in the belief that ECCFPD has out of control pensions cost. When the reality is the employees pay the highest legally allowed by law. The rank and file payed this voluntarily prior to 2018 as would have been required. In the history of this dept we have had three employees retire from the suppression side ( meaning not in management) All other firefighters have been unfortunately retired due to medical issues, and tragically two have passed long before their time. So let us use the highest compensated firefighter of the three. He was a Captain that retired with 18 years in. With his 3 percent at fifty safety retirement that gave him 54 percent of his last year salary. Which was 5020 per month. So we are talking about a pension of 2700 per month. Now keep in mind that that person paid into this pension his whole career. So he now has 32400 per year. So when people stat we have 100000 pensions they are flat out lying. There has been fire chiefs that have retired from here at much higher rates that the rank and file employee. This benefit is only about keeping fire stations open. It’s about having more than three stations to protect all the residents. All everyone wanted here was local control. Now that you have it, take ownership in it and protect it. Most of your firefighters here are local residents. They spend their money here, their kids go to school here, and many participate in the community here. I encourage everyone to get involved and really become educated. Please don’t just listen to the same old nay Sayers who just seem to want to spread lies and cancer to this community. We truly need your help.

Chuck Aug 26, 2014 - 6:19 pm

Joe, If you are a firefighter your post is inappropriate. The firefighters that I know would rescue anyone anytime anywhere no matter what the victims opinion is.

In 'da Know Aug 26, 2014 - 11:04 pm

Spoken like a true wannabe.

Joe Aug 27, 2014 - 6:22 pm

Nice try. Read my post. I said if I can t save a life due to response delay.and yes I am a firefighter and there is nothing more heart wrenching knowing that I couldn’t get there in time.

Yourhumblepeasant Aug 27, 2014 - 11:55 am

I am sick and tired of hearing all the conspiracy theories abound here over an over again.

The simple TRUTH is that this is about the district asking, no actually we are begging the public to help us help them. The funding has always been inadequate even before the formation of ECCFPD. It has always been noted in every study that additional funding was needed even before the housing market crashed. Some say with decreased funding that we should simply learn to live within our means……that almost makes sense maybe if we were talking about a luxury like eating out or going to the movies or picking up Starbucks on the way to work every day. But just because the revenue has decreased that doesn’t mean that the need for emergency services or the volume of calls has gone down. It pretty much remains the same regardless of the economy and to state that we should live within our means is just unrealistic.

What is actually at issue here is having the ability to keep stations open and having the ability to deliver a reasonable level of service. Currently we are at a minimum level of staffing that enables us to protect this community.

It’s very simple, if you would like to keep the 5 stations currently staffed with 15 personnel in operation and 30 cents per day ($109.50 per year) seems reasonable then vote yes.

If you think that 30 cents per day is too much to ask and you would like to take your chances closing two more stations and operating with a 3 station fire district staffed by 9 firefighters covering 250 square miles and over 100,000 people then vote no.

We as a fire district have done everything humanly possible at our level to make ends meet. We have bent over backwards to squeeze as much out of the meager funding that we have in order to provide some semblance of a functioning fire protection district for the benefit of this community.

This vote is being conducted by mail in ballot because that is how the law states it is to be done in this case.

Only those ballots that are returned will be counted one for one.

Do not be swayed by the vocal minority of conspiracy theorists and certainly not by those who do not reside or work in this district and will be completely unaffected either way.

Read the explanation in plain English that accompanies the ballot. Make your own decision based on the facts.

If you have a question contact one of our board members or any one of the fire district personnel. If we can’t answer your question we will help you find the answer or direct you to someone who can.

Again, please don’t be swayed or distracted by those who choose to breed conspiracy theories and spread misinformation while hiding behind their aliases on the internet. My name is Brandon Earhart, I have worked tirelessly in the service of this community for 16 years, my current assignment is B Shift Station 93 in Oakley. I personally have spent most of my adult life working here under some of the most adverse conditions that can be found in the fire service for roughly half of what is commonly accepted as average pay in this profession. I have worked hard my whole life with very little to show for it other than the satisfaction of a job well done and having made a difference in peoples lives.

Please help us to continue serve you by approving this benefit assessment tax.

Buy a Clue Aug 27, 2014 - 7:40 pm

Talk about sticking the landing!

Well said, Brandon. Keep fighting the good fight.

Chuck Aug 27, 2014 - 6:09 pm

Very well said YHP.

Comments are closed.