Fire officials: Tax defeat will hurt service
San Miguel can cut costs, opponents say
Union-Tribune Staff Writer
2:00 a.m. August 13, 2009
SPRING VALLEY — Officials at the San Miguel Consolidated Fire Protection District say firefighters may not be able to respond to emergencies as quickly after the recent defeat of a tax the district had sought.
But opponents of the proposed tax don't believe those claims, and say the district can do more to cut costs without reducing service.
The measure was defeated by 69 percent of the 8,963 voters who mailed in ballots, out of 23,000 property owners who received them. The district covers a 47-square-mile area that includes Rancho San Diego, Spring Valley, Bostonia, Crest, Mount Helix and Casa de Oro.
To save money, the district closed an engine company at its main Spring Valley station and transferred those firefighters to other positions. If the tax had passed, the engine company would have been reactivated.
Augie Ghio, chief of the district, said another engine company will still be stationed at the Spring Valley station, but he fears that response times to a fire or medical emergency could be a few minutes slower.
“It's not huge, but to a trauma victim, it could be huge,” Ghio said.
The election, which cost the district $140,000, was conducted under the provisions of Proposition 218. It allows for mail ballots and weighted ballot results based on the amount of property owned by a voter.
If the tax had been approved, an owner of a single-family home would have paid an assessment of $41.94 a year, while apartment owners would have paid $19.20 per unit. Fees for businesses and other properties would have varied by size.
San Miguel fire district officials said the assessment was needed to overcome a $1.75 million budget deficit caused by a decline in property taxes.
Voting on the measure closed July 16, and the results were officially announced at a July 30 board meeting.
Board member Rick Augustine said services will be reduced and response times by firefighters will be increased because the tax failed.
“The revenue is not there,” Augustine said. “It just flat-out doesn't exist.”
But Bob Cederdahl of Mount Helix and Buz Block of Spring Valley, who opposed the proposed tax, said the district doesn't have to reduce services. The two said board members could eliminate medical benefits they receive and that firefighters could take a 5 percent pay cut.
“You can retain services without an assessment,” Cederdahl said. “You do not have to close stations or any services.”
The proposed assessment also was opposed by several community and business groups, including the Grossmont-Mt. Helix Improvement Association and the San Diego County Taxpayers Association.
The taxpayers association said that instead of seeking a tax increase, the district should take other steps, such as having its employees share the cost of their pensions. That would save about $325,000 a year, the group said.
District employees had agreed to a one-time giveback of their retirement benefits, saving the district about $200,000. Ghio said the district is in contract negotiations with the group representing the firefighters, so he couldn't discuss other concessions that might be on the table.
Ghio said the district's $19 million budget will be further hurt by an expected $1.2 million that it won't be receiving from the state this year. Ghio said he's going over every line in the budget looking for more ways to cut, such as eliminating $11,000 for the department's speakers bureau.
“The community told us exactly what their priority was,” Ghio said. “We're going to give it to them.”
Union-Tribune
looks like a lot has chanced since Giho made this statement last oct
"
If Proposition A doesn't pass, how much money will the county have to front to keep the Fire Enhancement Program going?
Right now, the Fire Enhancement Program has a total of about $15.5 million that the county has made available. So they have enough funding to do the oversight and the management right now. Now, that's a real good start.
Don't threaten me with a slow response to my call for help. That is insulting and borders on a terrorist threat.
I live in this district and don't remember getting a ballot to vote on any tax increase. Were the ballots only sent to select property owners???
In looking at their website, I see they have seven board members... why can't they get along with five? They get a monetary stipend for their service so that would save the cost of two extra people. According to their posted 08/09 budget report, the total cost of board member fees (stipends) and benefits was $140,423. That's $20,060 per board member. Cutting two would save $40,120 per year. Worth it!!
These board members receive medical benefits, and they shouldn't! If an EMPLOYEE working less than 4 hours a DAY typically does not receive medical benefits, why does an elected official who attends maybe two 2-hour board meetings a month get full-time benefits (that's 4 hours of "work" a MONTH).
For those 4 hours of work a month, the cost (according to their budget report) comes out to $417 per hour for each board member. That's ridiculous and a huge waste of taxpayer money. Are you telling me that none of these board members have jobs that provide them with medical benefits?
Also, why do they have a "public information officer"? Can't one of the five chiefs employed by the district act in this capacity? How much public information is there to pass out? There's always a chief around during a big incident who can do the talking. For pete's sake, somebody has to tell the PIO what's going on so they can turn around and tell the press. Cut out the middle man!
And the firefighters can act as "public information officers" instead of waiting at the station for the next call to come in. They can get out into their "area" in their big red truck and do whatever it is that a public information officer does.
The website is also actively advertising two paid positions for additional public information employees. What the heck? If you're short of money, don't hire any new people that are not about providing emergency services! This is a time for no-frills management, Ghio!
And, yes, the employees should be responsible for contributing to their pension. I know I'm paying 7% of my salary towards my PERS retirement... why aren't these folks? Unions need to be cut down to size; it's no longer about job safety and security, it's about the almighty dollar.
Taxpayers should not be responsible for paying for any expenses that are not absolutely necessary. The problem with government, is the people responsible for making the necessary changes don't want to do it because they will incur the cutback as well.
The cash cow of taxpayer support is all dried up!
3 people liked this comment.
La_mesan8ive,
You have just won the grand prize! I don't think I've seen a better summary of the issues with this fire district. I commend you. It's nice to see that there are people that are also tax payers who have finally gotten sick of the intimidation, and righteous indignation by these goons. And, where is the Chairperson of this board, Karrie Johnston? Why hasn't she made a public comment regarding the blatant attempts at blindsiding the taxpayers with this B.S.? This is what happens when you're in over your head. Maximum incompetance.
,
These boardmembers are only there because after 5 years, they receive full medical benefits for life. Most of them are already firefighters in other departments. When they retire from their respective departments, they don't need to pay for their insurance like everyone else does because the taxpayers from San Miguel will do that for them. In turn, they will receive a higher monthly retirement check. A truely fine example of "double-dipping".
I'm pretty sure it's time for the county to suck this department up and combine it with San Pasqual, Descanso, Julian, Campo and others that can teach them how to appreciate their jobs.
2 people liked this comment.
“The community told us exactly what their priority was,” Ghio said. “We're going to give it to them.”
ANNE KRUEGER, WTF?!! why didn't you followup this comment?
and to you chief, we said NO to your proposed tax by an overwhelming margin. there is a new world order in place re budgets, so get used to it. if you can not do the job, or unwilling to, then please step aside immediately. if response times are a bit slower, we'll deal with it. in the meantime, your ff's time, most all which is spent reading, eating, working out, sleeping, watching tv, web surfing, conducting private business on taxpayer time, shopping, and other non ff-related activities will go undisturbed.
1 person liked this comment.
Ghio needs to stop talking, if that's possible. Everytime I see a quote, he sounds more and more like a whiney little union steward.
Augie, stop talking!!
Don't!
No!!
Too Late!! Still got his mouth wide open.
1 person liked this comment.
Let's see where to cut first. What does Ghio make for SG? $180K min. He also got DROP and a full pension from SDFD so he has to be pulling down 300K a year min. Nice work if you can get it. I also understand that the firefighters contribute nothing to their pension. Where to cut???
1 person liked this comment.
Well, as long as we're quoting the Chief's quotes, how about this one?
"Augie Ghio, chief of the district, said another engine company will still be stationed at the Spring Valley station, but he fears that response times to a fire or medical emergency could be a few minutes slower."
Ummmmm? This other fire engine must have a small engine or flat tires or something if it's going to get there slower than before. Maybe they need a map.
Augie, Cut the crap and start speaking clearly to people. Take that useless truck out of service and cut your benefits like everyone else is doing. Stop being misguided by the union. Get rid of positions that you don't need (you know who they are) are start being a responsible fire chief.
1 person liked this comment.
I forgot the most salient point. If this is strictly a temporary tax to fill tax raids by the State why isn't there a sunset clause in the proposal to take the fee away when economic times get better. This is one of the most wealthy best paid Depts. in the County and I see no proper methods in place to curtail their threats and lack of accountability.
1 person liked this comment.
Blah blah blah. How does a Fire DIstrict with one of the highest tax apportionment rates in SD County not have any reserves?? The Rural FPD down the road receives almost 90 cents less on the dollar and they seem to be doing fine becasue they contracted to CalFire. San Miguel's problem is that the Union runs the Board and the Dept. Right across the street from SMG 22 are State firefighters working with 15 PERCENT pay cuts and Ghio claims to have shut down an engine company, NOT HARDLY. Why does SMGFD run a ladder truck when the tallest building in their district is an elevator testing tower. They hired a FULL TIME FIO from the local media and they have maybe one newsworthy story a year. If no stations are closed there should be no increased response times and that is a disingenuus fear/threat. Maybe they should have thought twice before taking in poor FD's like Crest and Bostonia. This is a case of a Fire Chief who was ran out of SDFD and who hasn;t a clue what he is doing. SERVICE people.
Yikes, "the community told us exactly what their priority was...we're going to give it to them." Sounds ominous. I'm willing to give the Chief the benefit of the doubt, but he might want to rephrase that a little. The over riding issue is the unfortunate tendency for public officials to scare and threaten us poor taxpayers into voluntarily giving them more money. I can be robbed, but not without the perp holding a gun to my head.
1 person liked this comment.
"To save money, the district closed an engine company at its main Spring Valley station and transferred those firefighters to other positions"
Ummmm?
Dear Chief Ghio and the other under-educated boardmembers,
You can't save money unless to get rid of the people or cut the salries. Shifting them around and claiming you are saving money is clearly a scare tactic. The engine that's sitting there is a soft dollar cost at this point. You took it out of serivce prior to the vote, only with the thought of the tax increase being approved. Then you would have put it back in service to show everyone that the tax increase helped the district save lives.
How stupid do you think the people are that are paying for you to sit there and insult them?
Ghio needs to go, new board members need to be installed. What an outfit!!
Well, I don't receive protection from this district so it's no skin off my nose. I wonder how many of the posters that are so angry about the tax actually live within this district. If a district says no to new fees/taxes that's on them. Maybe all these posters that oppose this fee are right about the fire district. Maybe, but I agree with Majestic. The cost to a single family dwelling was only $3.50 per month. Doesn't seem like much to have the full resources of your fire department available to you. I hope the people that voted this down don't cry if their services go down or lose their home to a fire. You get what you pay for.
Agreed....tried of hearing that if the fire and cops don't get a tax increase they will not be available. Even when the tax or proposition is approved you do not see a significant increase in protection. Same BS every time I hear it.
This is such a load of crap, every fire station you hear of wants to tax the communities and the threat of falling services, etc is all a lie.
these people need to stand back and take a look at what they have and be thankful that they have all the apparatus that has been purchased for them....sick of the tax, tax and more tax attitude!
Typical tactic used again and agine to push tax increases through. " Well, we might not have a policeman aviliable" or "We won't be able to respond to emergencies as quickly"
Too bad you voters usually crumple and let them scare you into submission.
I'd gladly pay $40 bucks a year to have better protection. People will whine and fuss if there's another big fire--and will look back and wish they had paid it. Just a few extra trucks or workers can make a world of difference. It's like an insurance policy--an inexpensive one at that. People might think they're crying wolf--but sometimes there really is a wolf lurking around the hill.
1 person liked this comment.
You can send your money, either cash or check, to the San Miguel Consolidated Fire Protection District. I am sure it will be appreciated. I for one don't like the use of threat to extract more taxes. When you realize we are the most populous state and pay the highest taxes one would have to assume there is some ineffeciency in our spending policies. Ecomomy of scale should offer some great benefits to California that we are not getting. Maybe this Fire Protection District is the most effecient in the world, if so, it would be incumbent on us to demand that the county and state eliminate waste and send them more money.
1 person liked this comment.
Many thanks to Bob Cederdahl and Buz Block for refusing to be intimidated by the gangsters of the firefighter's union. Hoodlums have controlled the San Miguel district for many years and wasted more money than most districts ever see. The Taj Mahal on Austin being a prime example. The people are gradually learning that the hero image is a facade, that the overpaid and underworked gangsters are really rude, crude and greedy.
VerifiedWell said, Old Steer.
The Union Appointed Boardmembers need to take a hike.
Sounds like someone is a little bitter toward firefighters or is it jealousy?? "gangsters, hoodlums, rude, crude, greedy" Come on really?? Your an angry individual!
You clearly aren't the one to listen to on this subject. You have no real understanding on the issue except you are going to say whatever you can not to raise taxes.
I do agree that Ghio should go through every line to squeeze the most out of his department and his budget before going to the citizens for a tax increase...
