Los Angeles County increases property tax for Fire Department

[tsai3904]

Los Angeles County supervisors unanimously approved a tax increase Tuesday that would give their Fire Department an extra $1.5 million in annual revenue.

The 2% increase will raise the fire protection district taxes for a single-family home by about $1 to $62.26 each year. The special service tax is an essential funding component for the department, according to a letter fire officials sent to the board. The department has a $940-million total budget and serves about 4 million residents in the unincorporated parts of the county and various contract cities.

More:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-county-taxes-20120905,0,4983031.story

It is a minor increase but it's representative of our city, county, state and federal govts raising whatever fees and taxes they can.

If you live in LA County, send a message to your Supervisor:
http://bos.co.la.ca.us/AboutUs/BoardofSupervisors.aspx

 

[sailingaway]

I agree about tax in general, but I also believe in user fees and while I feel this disproportionately falls on home owners (in a state moving to view home owners as almost the 1% to be hit with all fees) I'm not sure I disagree with fire getting this. I'd have to look at how much waste they have. If it is segregated to them, they are one of the useful services I actually do feel it is worth paying for. Fires, out here, more than earthquakes, ARE our natural disaster in terms of impact.

 

[Keith and stuff]

The county fire department has a 1 billion dollar budget. Something seems strange about that. In the vast majority of the county, firefighters are volunteer fire fighters. There are even private firefighters, at least, where I live.

 

[UpperDecker]

As with the rest of this state, and country, there is surely money being wasted that can be allocated to important things rather than raising taxes yet again.

 

[sailingaway]

The county fire department has a 1 billion dollar budget. Something seems strange about that. In the vast majority of the county, firefighters are volunteer fire fighters. There are even private firefighters, at least, where I live.

but you are in NH, right? In Los Angeles much of the county is mesquite covered hills. There may well be waste to cut still, but they have had cuts for a few years running now, and they really are an important service here. I am sure it is like schools, tons of money in administration that would be better spent on the line, of course.

As with the rest of this state, and country, there is surely money being wasted that can be allocated to important things rather than raising taxes yet again.

I'll probably vote against the increase, I just don't have the same knee jerk reaction to 'fire department' that I have to 'Sacramento', for example.

 

[tsai3904]

I agree about tax in general, but I also believe in user fees and while I feel this disproportionately falls on home owners (in a state moving to view home owners as almost the 1% to be hit with all fees) I'm not sure I disagree with fire getting this. I'd have to look at how much waste they have. If it is segregated to them, they are one of the useful services I actually do feel it is worth paying for. Fires, out here, more than earthquakes, ARE our natural disaster in terms of impact.

This is what it's going to be used for:

The department is facing a $43-million shortfall next year, mainly because expenses such as retiree benefits and workers' compensation have been rising faster than the revenue the department receives, according to officials.

The $43 million shortfall is only for next year. Think about all the unfunded liabilities that will be around the corner in the years after next. They will surely come back asking for more tax increases.

 

[tsai3904]

I'll probably vote against the increase

The County Board already voted to approve the tax hike. It's not something we get to vote on.

 

[sailingaway]

The County Board already voted to approve the tax hike. It's not something we get to vote on.

Ah.

Well, I can write to my Supervisor, but I suspect it is more going to impact future votes on other taxes, in that case, rather than this one.