VOTERS THROUGHOUT NAPA COUNTY will be asked whether to approve a measure on November’s ballot that would add a half-cent sales tax to raise funds for wildfire prevention and land preservation.
Measure B, or the Napa County Wildfire Preparedness, Watershed Protection and Open Space Preservation Act, would impose a one-half of 1% sales tax in both incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county for 18 years beginning in April 2027.
Half of the money would go to the county for wildfire preparedness and prevention and half would go to the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District for watershed protection and open space preservation. Both the county and park district would be required to mete out the funds to nonprofits through a competitive grant process. An oversight committee would be formed to monitor the funds.
Supporters warn of ongoing wildfire threats
The measure is backed by the Napa Sierra Club Group, the Land Trust of Napa County and the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation, which is a nonprofit that works to reduce wildfire risks. Measure B was placed on the ballot by a citizen’s petition and then approval by the Board of Supervisors.
In arguments for the measure provided by the county, supporters such as U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena; Joe Nordlinger, CEO of Napa Firewise, and Melanie Parker, CEO of the Land Trust of Napa County, say it will preserve open spaces by bolstering stewardship and preventing more devastating wildfires.
“Napa County is facing an undeniable reality,” reads the argument in favor of the measure. “We lived it — the catastrophic Glass, Atlas, Tubbs, Nuns and countless other fires too numerous to name. We’ve had too many close calls, and the threat of wildfire will keep looming over us if we don’t act now.”
Supporters say the measure will protect drinking water and also county ecosystems.
Opponents cites tax concerns
Tom Orlando with the Napa County Taxpayers Association wrote the opposition to the measure.
“Here we go again,” writes his argument. “Another election cycle and another proposition for another tax increase.”
Orlando argues that the county already benefits from tourism money and property tax revenue and that the tax measure comes at a time when people are already struggling with high gas prices and inflation.
“Higher taxes will not stop wildfires or improve your drinking water,” he wrote.
The rebuttal to Orlando’s argument includes Napa County Sheriff Oscar Ortiz, Eileen Pereira with the Coombsville-Wildhorse Valley Fire Safe Council, a community group that advocates for wildfire safety, and former Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht.
“Don’t let one, lone opponent stand between Napa County and preventing the next wildfire,” reads the rebuttal. “While the opposition rambles about bureaucratic processes, he never argues that we’re safe from wildfire, that our water doesn’t need protecting, or that our open space isn’t worth saving.”
Another group impacted by wildfires but also concerned with land in the county is the Napa County Farm Bureau. On its website, it takes a neutral stance on the measure.
“The Napa County Farm Bureau is split between supporting additional and ongoing revenue for needed fire mitigation and prevention services, and opposition to an overly broad tax that has the potential of putting pressure on Napa agriculture,” they wrote.
