HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Jeanne Cecchi regarding Fire Services Restructure 0311)
FIRST OF ALL, I NEED TO TAKE BACK MY THANK YOU FOR YOUR
DECISION JUST ONE MONTH AGO NOT TO CLOSE FIRE STATIONS-AS I
SEEMS TO KEEP POPPING UP.
FOR THE AMADOR STATIONS IN THE REMOTE AREAS-THE STATE PA S
FOR 6 MONTHS AND COUNTY LEASES THEM FOR 6 MONTHS FOR
$200,000 EACH. THERE ARE OVER 17,000 (STIRLING 780;FOREST RANCH 1889;
PARADISE 7207;JARBO 2027;HARTS MILL 2772;ROBINSON MILL 2429)PEOPLE IN 3 OF
YOUR DISTRICTS THAT PAY TAXES FOR AND EXPECT FIRE, MEDICAL,
ACCIDENT AND RESCUE SERVICES FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR
PROPERTY. THAT IS CHEAP INSURANCE. IT KEEPS THEM COVERED
YEAR ROUND. IF THEY AND OTHER STATIONS CLOSE, THEY WILL NO
BE ABLE TO AFFORD PROPERTY INSURANCE IF THEY CAN GET IT AT
ALL.
ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET,THERE WAS A $233 MILLION CARRYOVER
WITH BUDGETED APPROPRIATIONS FOR CONTINGENCIES OF ABOUT 0
MILLION FOR THE 2016-17 FISCAL YEARS. THAT MONEY CAN BE USED
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. IF THERE ARE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, WHY WERE
33 NET POSITIONS ADDED TO THE COUNTY WORKFORCE? WHY DO WE
KEEP HEARING ABOUT RAISES BEING APPROVED? DAVID HOUSER'S
11/10/16 LETTER TO CITIZENS OF BUTTE COUNTY SAYS'WE CONTINU
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TO REMAIN ON THE PATH TOWARDS FISCAL STABILITY". WHAT
CHANGED? THE COUNTY BUDGET SUMMARY SAYS"SOUND
FINANCIAL CHOICES AND COMMITMENT AND SACRAFICE FROM
COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYEES HAVE MADE BUTTE COUNTY
FINANCIALLY STABLE AND IMPROVED OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE."
SO WHY ARE WE HEARING THERE IS SUDDENLY A CRISIS AND WHY IS
FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY THE ONLY TARGET? WERE HEARING ON
NEWS REPORTS THAT WE HAVE TO CLOSE STATIONS TO SAVE MONEY.
THERE ARE AT LEAST 12 OTHER GENERAL GOVERNMENT CATEGORIE
THAT COULD BE CUT AND THERE ARE 35+ OTHER COUNTY SERVICE
AGENCIES THAT TAP INTO THE GENERAL FUND. WHY NOT CUT A
PERCENTAGE FROM EACH? WHY ARE WE TARGETING FIRE
PROTECTION?
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT EVEN ON THE AGENDA, THE 2015-16
GRAND JURY REPORT STATED THE CAL FIRE IS A HEAVY IMPACT ON
THE GENERAL FUND. BUT IT IS ONLY 9% OF THE GENERAL FUND. HO
IS 9% A HEAVY IMPACT? SINCE 2003 THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS
ACTUALLY RETURNED $7.5 MILLION IN APPROPRIATED FUNDS TO THE
COUNTY,WHICH WENT INTO THE GENERAL FUND. WHY CAN'T IT G
BACK TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY ALLOCATION? AND CAL FIRE PEOPLE
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ACTUALLY TOOK SALARY CUTS IN 2009-11. AND MOST OF THEM GET
PAID MINIMUM WAGE.
THE MATRIX STUDY THAT WAS JUST COMPLETED USED $80,000 FROM
THE CAL FIRE BUDGET AND NOW WE WILL SPEND ANOTHER$50,000 T
APPLY FOR A FIRE DISTRICT. WE ARE SPENDING MONEY IN ORDER T
DISMANTLE A SYSTEM THAT HAS WORKED FOR 85 YEARS. THIS IS A
UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP BUTTE COUNTY HAS BECAUSE OF ITS
OVERLAPPING STRUCTURE OF STATE COUNTY AND LOCAL RESOURCES,
IT IS EFFICIENT BECAUSE THEY USE 72-HR. SHIFTS MEANING LESS
MANPOWER TO HIRE AND LESS BENEFITS TO PAY FOR. WE ARE
FORTUNATE TO HAVE IT AND AT A MEETING AT THE COUNTY OFFICES
WE WERE TOLD MOST COUNTIES WOULD BE JEALOUS TO HAVE IT.
SHOULD BE CELEBRATING IT, NOT TRYING TO SHUT IT DOWN. WHY
DON'T WE LOOK FOR A MUTUAL SOLUTION WITH THEM. HAS ANYONE
TRIED THAT?
A FIRE DISTRICT MEANS TAXPAYERS PAY YET ANOTHER FEE, ON TOP OF
THE SRA FIRE FEE AND IN ADDITION TO OUR PROPERTY TAXES. THE
PROP 172 3/2% SALES TAX WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS TO BE USED FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY. FOR BUTTE COUNTY THAT IS ABOUT$16 MIL FOR 2016-
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17. THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR POLICE, FIRE, D/A. WHERE IS ALL O
THAT MONEY?
MAYBE YOU SAW ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE PROP 56 $2 TAX ON
TOBACCO WHICH WAS PURPOSED FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION
PROGRAMS AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES-THE GOVERNOR TOOK T E
$1.2 BILLION AND PUT IT IN THE GENERAL FUND INSTEAD. WHEN
ASKED IF HE THOUGHT ANYONE WOULD EVER AGAIN VOTE FOR A TAX
INCREASE WHEN THE MONEY IS MISAPPROPRIATED. HE SIMPLY SAID
"WE'LL PUT IT TO GOOD USE."
THE WHOLE THING JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT. IT IS TRYING TO FIX
SOMETHING THAT IS NOT BROKEN. IF MORE MONEY IS NEEDED, WE
NEED TO FIND IT IN THE BUDGET - LOOK AT OTHER DEPARTMENTS
AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. THINK OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
INSTEAD OF DISMANTLING AND CHANGING THE ENTIRE MEDICAL
CARE SYSTEM WITH FALSE PROMISES, IT IS COSTING BILLIONS, AND
BECOMING UNSUSTAINABLE. WE COULD HAVE FIXED WHAT WAS
BROKEN AND SAVED A LOT OF MONEY. WHY NOT FIX WHAT WE HANNEE
TRUSTED FOR 85 YEARS. KEEP WHAT WE HAVE AND TRY TO FIND THE
MONEY TO FIX IT. RATHER THAN REINVENT THE WHEEL. RIGHT NO
WE ARE REINVENTING THE DAM.
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TRY ASKING PROPERTY OWNERS— WOULD YOU RATHER KEEP THE
SYSTEM WE HAVE INTACT AND MAKE IT WORK-PERHAPS A SEPARATE
ASSESSMENT TO COVER A SHORTFALL OR WOULD YOU RATHER START
A FIRE DISTRICT FROM SCRATCH AND PAY ADDITIONAL FEES TO START
UP, PURCHASE LAND AND MAINTAIN BUILDINGS, EQUIPMENT,
ADMINISTRATION, PERSONNEL, ETC., WHICH WOULD OBVIOUSLY CO T
A LOT MORE. SAN BERNADINO RECENTLY STARTED A FIRE DISTRICT I
SAW SOME OF THE REPORTS AND FEES INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY
EACH YEAR AS DID PROPERTY TAXES. MAYBE THAT MODEL SHOULD BE
STUDIED OVER THE YEARS TO SEE HOW IT REALLY EFFECTS PROPER
OWNER ADDITIONAL COSTS.
CLOSING FIRE STATIONS AND CREATING FIRE DISTRICTS ARE DRASTIC
SOLUTIONS VERSUS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO ADJUST BUDGET ITEMS.
ESPECIALLY IN THIS COUNTY WHERE WE COULD BE LOOKING AT
MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE OROVILLE DAM AS WELL AS A FIRE
SEASON THAT IS ALREADY EXPECTED TO BE BAD. PLEASE MAKE FIRE &
POLICE PROTECTION A VERY HIGH PRIORITY AND APPROPRIATE
MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUE.
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FOR THE RECORD,WHEN COUNTY PEOPLE HAD A MEETING TO
EXPLAIN THE MATRIX STUDY, THEY WERE LOOKING TO THE
COMMUNITY. LOIS MILLER, A CONCERNED NEIGHBOR TOOK IT
SERIOUSLY AND SPENT A YEAR ANALYZING THE FACTS AND
COLLECTING HISTORICAL INFORMATION, ALL AT HER OWN TIME AND
EXPENSE. SHE PUT TOGETHER A 50+ PAGE BOOK AT HER OWN EXPEN 3E
AND DISTRIBUTED IT TO BOARD MEMBERS AND INVOLVED COUNTY
PEOPLE. IT'S A TOOL WITH VALUABLE INFORMATION AND I
ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER IT AND FIND THE ANSWER THA
TRULY PROTECTS OUR COMMUNITY.
Jeanne Cecchi.
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