Two Valley Springs leaders on Saturday signed the Calaveras Local Fire Protection Tax Initiative. Both Calaveras Consolidated Fire Protection District Chief Rich Dickinson and Calaveras County District 5 Supervisor Ben Stopper say the measure is needed to fund adequate staffing of local fire agencies.
If enough Calaveras County voters sign the petition before the end of February, then the measure will go to the ballot next year.
If voters approve it, the measure will increase the sales tax in Calaveras County by 1 cent per dollar and use the resulting revenue to fund the county’s nine local fire districts as well as the Angels Camp Fire Department.
Dickinson said that if the measure passes, he would be able to open a station in Burson with two paid firefighters on duty 24/7 as well as increasing the number of firefighters on duty at existing stations in Jenny Lind and Valley Springs.
