CALAVERAS COUNTY – Calaveras County Clerk Rebecca Turner in March certified that volunteers collected enough voter signatures to place the Calaveras Local Fire Protection Tax Initiative on the November Ballot. The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors on April 12 voted to formally call an election and consolidate it with this year’s general election.
The 1 percent sales tax, if approved by voters, would make it possible for all nine local fire districts and the City of Angels Camp Fire Department to improve staffing and assure that firefighters are available 24/7 in all parts of the county to respond to emergencies.
“This was an outstanding volunteer effort,” said Calaveras Local Fire Protection Committee Chairman Dana Nichols of San Andreas.
According to the Signature Verification Certificate issued by Turner, the campaign turned in a total of 3,056 signatures on the Feb. 22 deadline. Of those, 2,595 were found to be “sufficient,” meaning that the signature and listed address were a match for a registered voter.
That total is 434 more valid signatures than the minimum 2,161 required to call an election.
Nichols said the Calaveras Local Fire Protection Committee is already preparing for November. Supporters of local fire protection who want to get involved can contact the campaign through its website, calaveraslfp.org, or by calling Nichols at 209-768-9072.