Voters in the Oakland hills are being asked to weigh in on a ballot measure that would raise millions for wildfire prevention efforts.
Measure MM is a parcel tax that requires two-thirds voter approval to pass and would add a $99 annual tax to single-family homes and $65 for condos and apartments. Commercial property would be taxed based on a formula calculating how many single-family homes would roughly equal the property’s size.
Only voters whose neighborhoods are impacted by the parcel tax will decide Measure MM’s fate since only property owners in that area will pay the tax. The area includes roughly 46,000 voters in portions of three City Council districts that are dubbed a “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone” by Cal Fire, according to data from the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.
If passed, Measure MM would raise roughly $2.7 million a year in its first year of implementation and could be raised to account for inflation in subsequent years.
The Oakland City Council unanimously voted to put it on the ballot back in June. It would last for 20 years.
Proponents, who have raised about $46,000 in campaign contributions, say the new tax is required to implement Oakland’s Vegetation Management Plan, which was adopted by the council earlier this year and focuses on fire prevention efforts for more than 1,400 acres and 300 miles of roads in the Oakland hills.
“The most cost-effective way to combat wildfires is through a smart prevention plan that includes implementing tree and vegetation management, inspecting high-risk sites, and coordinating across governmental agencies and community partners,” according to the Yes on Measure MM ballot argument.
The funds would be spent on enhancing fire patrols on high fire danger days, hiring more goats to eat up dry vegetation and performing annual property inspections, among other things.
Supporters include Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley and former Oakland fire chief Darin White, with large campaign contributions coming in from PG&E and the International Association of Firefighters Local 55.
Opponents, including Marcus Crawley of the Alameda County Taxpayers Association and Oakland City Council candidate Nancy Sidebotham, allege the measure doesn’t have strong enough guardrails to prevent the money from being poorly spent and they don’t trust Oakland leadership to effectively administer the funds.
While the measure requires a citizen oversight committee to monitor its implementation, opponents claim it will be packed with councilmembers’ cronies and that it “does not allow the reliable City Auditor to review expenditures.”
The text of the measure, however, says an “independent audit shall be performed annually” and “the City Auditor may perform audits to ensure accountability and proper disbursement of all revenue collected.”