Funding Fire: A Losing Proposition?

Abstract

THE CALIFORNIA Journal of Politics & Policy Volume 2, Issue 1 Funding Fire: A Losing Proposition? Jacqueline Vaughn Northern Arizona University Hanna J. Cortner Cortner and Associates Abstract This paper focuses on the politics of raising local revenue for fire protection by examining the issues surrounding San Diego County California’s unsuccessful at- tempt in 2008 to pass Proposition A. Proposition A would have established a special fire protection parcel tax and a regional fire protection agency to coordinate expen- ditures and regional firefighting efforts. In addition to an economy at the onset of a deep economic recession, California’s constitutional requirement for two-thirds voter approval for dedicated tax increases, and conservative voters with an aver- sion to tax increases, supporters of Proposition A faced other issues that may have affected the outcome of the election, including the issues of timing, openness and transparency, accountability and trust, coalition building and political leadership, and demographic cleavages. Keywords: fire financing, parcel tax, San Diego County, fire protection, wildland- urban interface www.bepress.com/cjpp