CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Preliminary results from a special Tuesday election showed that a parcel tax the Lake County Fire Protection District placed on the ballot in an effort to increase revenues and maintain services failed to pass by 10 votes.
Measure D, the reason for the special Tuesday election, needed to pass by a supermajority of 66.7 percent.
The measure received 66.3 percent in favor, or 1,113 yes votes, versus a 33.7 percent no vote, amounting to 565 votes in opposition.
Lake County Fire is the most populous of the county’s five fire districts. Its boundaries encompass 165 square miles in and around Clearlake and Lower Lake, and between 20,000 and 21,000 residents, according to district officials.
The measure was intended to bring in between $300,000 and $400,000 in additional annual revenues for the Lake County Fire Protection District, as Lake County News has reported.
Measure D proposed to increase the district’s existing special tax on properties from $60 a year to $120 a year for per single family dwelling.
The preliminary results, released by the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office late Tuesday, showed that there was a 19.6 percent turnout, with approximately 1,684 ballots cast.
Of the overall ballot count, there were 1,391 absentee ballots, or 16.2 percent, and 293 precinct ballots, or 3.4 percent, according to county elections office.
As a special tax, Measure D needed to pass with a 66.7 percent yes vote. That means that of the 1,684 total ballots tallied in the preliminary count, the measure needed to have 1,123 cast in its favor.
The elections office’s initial results said the measure received 1,113 yes votes, just 10 short of what was required.
The Registrar of Voters Office must still finalize and certify the results, which includes counting any absentees that weren’t received on or before Tuesday. Some absentee ballots could yet come in via mail.
Lake County Fire Protection District Board member Russ Perdock called the outcome “very disappointing,” noting a lot was riding on Measure D’s passage.
He said it will mean a very lean 2017-18 fiscal year, adding that the board will be tasked with service reductions to Clearlake and Lower Lake, “which after the past two fire seasons is harder to fathom.”
After months of effort and a lot of work to communicate the need for the measure – including recent town halls, community meetings, going door to door and even holding a barbecue as part of outreach – Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta said late Tuesday he was really surprised and taken aback by the preliminary results.
Sapeta said the district will have to look at realignment and service cuts, but won’t take any action until the Registrar of Voters Office certifies the election.
“I’m praying there’s a miscount somewhere and that it passes,” he said.
If it doesn’t, Sapeta said the district will have to start planning for hard decisions.
By April or May, he will have a general idea about the coming fiscal year’s revenues, which he anticipates will be down due to the Clayton fire, which destroyed about 200 homes and an additional 100 structures in August.
“There will be reorganization and realignment until we’re able to secure additional revenues,” he said, explaining that the district has looked at every other option to generate more income. “There’s not another option.”
Sapeta said the district likely will have to take a similar measure back to voters.
“We’re far from giving up. That’s not an option,” he said.
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Preliminary special election results show narrow loss for Measure D fire district parcel tax
- Elizabeth Larson
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