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Southern Inyo Fire Protection District Parcel Tax Increase, Measure E (November 2015)
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A special parcel tax was on the ballot for Southern Inyo Fire Protection District voters in Inyo County, California, on November 3, 2015. It was defeated.
If approved, Measure E would have authorized the district to impose an increased parcel tax—a kind of property tax based on units of property rather than assessed value—referred to as the Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax. The replacement tax would have been $38.64 plus $1.50 per acre for a single-family residential parcel. The tax rates for other types of parcels are shown in detail in the ballot question below. The tax revenue would have been used to augment emergency fire protection and medical services and decrease the response times for emergency calls. Without the approval of Measure E, the district's existing Measure J parcel tax, which was approved in November 2001, continued unchanged.[1]
The availability of results for Measure E was delayed until the afternoon of November 4, 2015, because Inyo County elections officials had to retrieve the Measure E ballots from a drop box in the Southern Inyo Fire Protection District. This required a drive of 500 miles round trip.[2]
A two-thirds (66.67%) vote was required for the approval of Measure E.
Election results
| Southern Inyo Fire District, Measure E | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 No | 34 | 47.22% | ||
| Yes | 38 | 52.78% | ||
- Election results from Inyo County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]
| “ |
Shall the Southern Inyo Fire Protection District (herinafter "the District") impose and levy a Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax upon fee simple interests in real property within the District as follows? 1. Purpose of Tax: The Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax will enable the District to continue and improve emergency services. The revenues from the Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax shall be used by the District for the purpose of augmenting the existing Measure J 2001 Special Emergency Response Services Tax for obtaining, furnishing, operating, and maintaining fire suppression and emergency response personnel, and for such other emergency response and prevention expenses of the District. The revenues from this tax shall not be used for any other purpose. Without passage of this measure of the District will be unable to augment the current response times and levels of emergency services which have remained unchanged since on and after January 1, 2002. 2. Taxable Property: The Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax is imposed upon all fee simple interests in real property located within the District's boundaries, except that the tax shall not be imposed upon property belonging to the federal, state or other local government agency. 3. Annual Tax and Operative Date: The Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax is imposed, and levied annually each fiscal year, commencing July 2016. 4. Basis and Amount of Annual Tax: The Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax is imposed and levied annually upon each parcel to taxable property within the District according to the County Assessor's classification of the use of the parcel, and in the amount set forth in the Schedule below:
5. Cost of Living Increase: The Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax shall be increased by the amount reported periodically during any calendar year by the United States Department of Labor Index for the Los Angeles-Long Beach Area effective the first of January of the following calendar year. 6. Tax Collection: The Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax shall be collected on behalf of the District by the County of Inyo in the same manner and subject to the same penalties interest, fees, and costs as, or with, other charges and taxes fixed and collected by the County. The County may deduct its reasonable costs incurred for such service before remitting the balance of the tax proceeds to the District. 7. Appeal: Each property owner in the District shall, within thirty (30) days after mailing of the tax bill including the Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax for that fiscal year, have the right to file a written appeal with the District protesting the levy and imposition of such tax. The filing of an appeal is not grounds for failing to timely pay the entire amount of taxes specified as due on the tax bill. The District Board, after giving at least 30 calendar days written notice to the appealing property owner by first class mail, shall conduct the appeal hearing in an open and public meeting. If as a result of the appeal, the special tax is either reduced or increased by the District Board, the District shall either refund the excess amount collected, or collect any additional amount due. Effect of Vote: If two-thirds of the registered voters voting on this matter do not approve it, the Supplemental Special Emergency Response Services Tax (Measure J) of 2001 shall, none the less remain in full force and effect. YES: NO:[3] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The impartial analysis of Measure E prepared by the office of the county counsel is available here.[4]
Support
Supporters
Rovin Flinchum, chair of the Southern Inyo Fire Protection District board of directors, signed the official argument in favor of Measure E.[5]
Arguments in favor
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in favor of Measure E:
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Dear Neighbor, By voting yes on ballot measure "E", you have an opportunity to make a lasting change in the health and wellbeing of our community. Since 2003, the Southern Inyo Fire Protection District (SIFPH) has been funded by the small voter approved Special Emergency Response Services Tax on property within the District, and by billing for medical and other call out services. We are NOT regularly funded by any county or other public money. While the small special tax has not increased in 12 years, our operating expenses certainly have. As a community, we are proud that we have managed to make it this far, and the gap between our funding and fundraising and the actual cost of delivering services continues to widen year after year. Measure "E" will raise the base rate for each parcel by only 10% beyond the amount lost to inflation since passage of the Special Emergency Response Services Tax in November 2001. Measure "E" will increase the per acre fee by 50 cents. Measure "E" will add an annual cost of living increase to the Special Emergency Response Services Tax so that the District no longer loses funding each year to inflation. We are asking you to approve an increase in the Special Emergency Response Services Tax that supports the SIFPD. This tax is the foundation, the underpinning of our emergency response services. Without this increase, we may be forced to close our doors. For an increase of $11.86 per year for the average tax payer in our District (single residence on 2.5 acres), you can make a positive change in this community. We are asking you to vote YES on Measure "E" to ensure continued reliable, effective and fully funded emergency response.[3] |
” |
| —Rovin Flinchum, chair of the Southern Inyo Fire Protection District board of directors[5] | ||
Opposition
No official argument in opposition to Measure E was submitted by the deadline. If you know of endorsements or arguments that should be posted here, please email the Local Ballot Measures Project staff writer.
Path to the ballot
Measure E was put on the ballot by a vote of the district's board of directors.[4]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Southern Inyo Fire District parcel tax Measure E. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- California parcel tax on the ballot
- Parcel tax elections in California
- Parcel tax
- Inyo County, California ballot measures
- November 3, 2015 ballot measures in California
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Inyo County Elections Office, "Measure E ballot question," accessed October 5, 2015
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff writer Josh Altic, "Telephone correspondence with the Inyo County Elections Office," November 4, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Inyo County Elections Office, "Impartial analysis of Measure E," accessed October 10, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Inyo County Elections Office, "Argument in favor of Measure J," accessed October 9, 2015
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