Voters in Sonoma, Marin counties to weigh in on fire taxes

Fire protection and how to pay for it will be on the minds of voters in two Bay Area counties next month. The March 3 ballot in Sonoma County will include Measure G, a proposed half-cent sales tax, while Marin County will decide on Measure C, which would increase local property taxes.

Sonoma County’s Measure G would raise $51 million annually to supplement existing services by the county’s 38 fire agencies. The proposed half-cent sales tax would allot 90 percent of the proceeds to incorporated and unincorporated fire agencies for alerts, warnings, sirens, vegetation management, response, wildfire prevention and preparedness, recruitment and retention of firefighters, equipment and facilities.