Voters in two Monterey County cities will decide on separate property tax measures in the June statewide primary election that would fund fire and 911 services.
Soledad contracts with Cal Fire for its fire services, while the city of Gonzales fields its own department. Both measures need two-thirds approval to pass.
Measure A
In Soledad, Measure A asks voters to consider raising property taxes by $233 for a single-family home, and by $174 per residence for a property with multiple units. For commercial or other non-residential parcels, the tax would be between $99 and $134, depending on the property’s use, plus another 7 cents per building square foot.
The rates would increase based on inflation, based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index. The tax would raise about $1 million a year and would be in effect until voters repeal it.
Soledad Fire Battalion Chief Richard “Punky” Lopez and others wrote in the county’s official voter guide that the funding was needed to keep medical responses available 24 hours a day and ensure aging equipment could be replaced.
Supporters said the Soledad Fire Department operated below national staffing standards and needed increased funding to retain and recruit firefighters.
“Without Measure A, the Soledad Fire Department cannot keep pace with rising demand and costs,” Lopez and the measure’s supporters wrote in their appeal to voters. “Essential services could be cut — leading to slower response times, fewer firefighters, and higher homeowners’ insurance costs. In a rural community like ours, that’s dangerous.”
The money would be placed in a special fund and overseen by a citizens’ committee. The funding would be exclusively for the Soledad Fire Department.
Measure B
The city of Gonzales asks voters to consider Measure B, which would raise property taxes in that city by $349 for single-family homes, and by $262 per residence for properties with multiple units.
The tax on non-residential parcels would increase between $148 and $201 based on use, and another 7 cents per building square foot.
The tax is expected to raise $665,000 to fund equipment and 911 staffing and retain firefighters for the Gonzales Fire Department.
The argument in support of the measure that was included in Monterey County’s voter guide contained similar language to the Soledad measure’s supporters.
Both argued the nearest hospital services were more than 20 minutes away and urged funding of rapid medical responses that could be maintained at all hours.
Both said that small towns are facing similar crises and cited the nearby city of Greenfield as an example of a municipality that had raised its property taxes to fund emergency services.
Supporters of Measure B in Gonzales, including Fire Chief Jason Muscio, said the Fire Department could face staff reductions or even be dissolved without the measure.
Its funding, too, would be placed into a special fund overseen by a citizens’ commission and would be used only for the Gonzales Fire Department.