Letter to the Editor: To All Concerned Rodeo and Hercules Residents and Elected Officials

Letter to the Editor, To All Concerned Rodeo and Hercules Residents and Elected Officials

From Patty O’Day, Concerned Citizen regarding the Rodeo-Hercules Fire District Prop 172 Funds

Please join other concerned citizens and me at the Contra Costa County Finance Committee Meeting on Thursday, March 10, at 10:30am. We need citizens to attend the meeting and get up and voice their support for the Rodeo-Hercules Fire District so that our district can get our fair share of the Proposition 172 Sales Tax Revenue that rightfully belongs to our district, but that the County has not been giving us. Here is some background to bring you up to date.

In the early 1990’s the State of California took public safety funds away from special districts and counties. In 1993, a Special Election was held for the voters to decide if they wanted to approve a one half Percent sales tax to be used exclusively for public safety, including police, sheriff, District Attorney, and fire districts. This money was intended to replace the funds that the State of California took away from these districts.

Right before the Special Election, there were several HUGE fires and over 1000 structures were burned. These fires were devastating, and very much on the voter’s minds when they went to the polls. The voters approved this permanent one half percent sales tax for public safety, which, according to the legislation, was to be controlled and distributed by the Counties. Remember, the number 1 reason this Proposition passed was because of these awful fires.

Over all these years, the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors has made the decision to distribute ALL of the Proposition 172 funds to the Police, Sheriff, District Attorney office with NOT ONE RED CENT going to the Fire Districts. THIS IS SO UNFAIR. The proposition was passed because of the devastating fires, and yet the County has refused to share the funds with the eligible Fire Districts. The Rodeo-Hercules Fire District is eligible for these funds and desperately needs them to continue the level of fire service that we currently have. We are asking you to join us in demanding our fair share. Please join me and others at this meeting.

Contra Costa County Finance Committee Meeting

Contra Costa County Administrative Building

Thursday, March 10, 10:30am

651 Pine Street, 1st Floor – Room 101

Martinez, CA 94553

If you can't attend the meeting, please call or write a letter, fax or e-mail supporting us to the Contra Costa County Finance Committee via:

c/o Tim Ewell

Senior Deputy County Administrator

651 Pine Street, 10th Floor

Martinez, CA 94553

Phone: 925-335-1036

Fax: 925-646-1353

Email: Timothy.Ewell@cao.cccounty.us

If you want to carpool, please contact me and I will try to make arrangements for those that would like to ride with others. Please participate. They will not help us if we don’t get enough citizens to speak up. I don’t want to have to close a fire station. That is a very strong possibility if we can’t get our fair share of the Proposition 172 funds that rightfully belong to our district. Please bring your friends and neighbors. If you don’t do this, who do you think will do it?

Thank you for doing your fair share.

Patty O’Day, Concerned Hercules Citizen

pattyoday@earthlink.net