MENDOCINO CO., 10/07/24 – Voters in the Albion-Little River area will decide on Measure S, a ballot measure that would authorize a special tax to support services provided by the Albion-Little River Fire Protection District.
The Albion-Little River Fire Protection District operates five fire stations in Albion and Little River. Its service area is approximately 26 miles. The district has both paid and volunteer firefighters.
Measure S would be the first tax increase to benefit the fire district in 10 years. Previous special taxes imposed by the fire district were a $40 tax passed in 2002, and a $75 tax passed in 2014.
Measure S would replace the $75 per parcel unit tax with a $300 per parcel unit tax, with a 2% annual increase. According to the fire district’s board of directors proposing the measure, a residential unit would be taxed differently than a commercial business or other properties. For example, a single-family home would count as two units because of the house and the land. A restaurant would be six units, and a retail store or office would be three units. The board determined these figures based on the relative risks and frequency of fire and emergency medical response.
If approved by voters, the measure will bring in approximately $668,000 annually for the fire district. According to the fire district, all Measure S revenues would be placed in a fund that could only be used in that district, meaning it is non-transferable to other districts, the county or the state. If the measure is passed, the tax will be effective at the start of the 2025-2026 property tax billing cycle, with the first installment due in Dec. 2025. According to the board, an annual report must be presented at a public meeting, showing which units are being taxed and what the tax amount will be.
“Inflation has substantially reduced our buying power, and firefighter training and health and safety requirements have increased,” said the board in support of its measure. “Without passage of Measure S, we will have to make painful decisions; it will not be feasible to maintain present capabilities.”
According to Albion-Little River Fire Chief Michael Rees, the district’s volunteer firefighting model has become unsustainable. “We have the smallest roster and lowest turnout we’ve ever had historically,” Rees said. “And our call volume has gone up 300% in the last 10 years.”
The special tax would be used to improve fire protection, search and rescue services, and maintain equipment. It would also be used to train firefighters, as well as fund employee salaries and other services.
Rees added that the fire district board carefully thought of a realistic tax increase that would support fire services as well as update old facilities. “We really looked to the future of what we will need in the next ten years,” he said. “We are also trying to build a new station. It [the tax increase] will put us in a better position.”
5th District Supervisor Ted Williams, whose district includes Albion and Little River, emphasized that insufficient fire protection services could harm property owners’ ability to purchase fire insurance. Williams once served as fire chief for the district.
“If the community wants continued fire services, they need to fund the district adequately. If not, insurability will continue to decline,” Williams warned.
No arguments have been submitted against the measure, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass.
There will be a Measure S informational meeting at the Navarro Ridge Grange starting at 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 9, followed by a “Coffee with the Chief” event at 10:00 a.m. on Oct. 10 at Station 810 in Albion.