photo credit: Courtesy Sonoma County Fire District
Measure H aims to reduce risks of a repeat of tragic fires

Sonoma County residents are voting on a $60 million dollar plan to re-vamp fire services throughout the county. Backers say the additional half cent added to the sales tax rate throughout the county will cut the chances of a repeat of a major catastrophe and enable quicker responses to emergencies with advanced medical care. Opponents argue the issues spring from local officials ignoring key responsibilities. 

Measure H is on the March 5th primary election ballot now in front of voters. It seeks to do a few things: staff each engine with three firefighters, replace waning participation in volunteer units with professionals, improve response times and devote more resources to fire prevention among other goals.

"Measure H funding is going to improve services as well as add companies within the cities. It also upgrades seven, semi-rural companies to advanced life support from an EMT, which is really important up north where there's longer response times and fewer ambulances," said John Selfridge, a fire captain and a campaign lead for Measure H.

He said many older fire stations are vulnerable to earthquakes and need replacing--another big expense.

Plus Measure H would generate the local matching funds needed to snag federal grants.

Selfridge said there's been something of a generational shift, especially in terms of rural volunteer departments that can no longer be ignored.

"Most of the departments out there were formed after WWII, it was more of a guy's social club, over the last decade or so, there's been a steady decline in volunteer firefighters. Even in a place like Sebastopol, which is a city department, but primarily staffed with volunteers, you have less and less businesses and employers where you can, you're a bank teller, you can put up the closed sign and run out the door to go to a fire, we are just not in a time where people can just drop what they are doing," Selfridge said.

Over the past five years, the Sonoma County Fire District has absorbed more than half a dozen smaller departments. It now covers 250 square miles and responded to 12,000 calls in 2022. Consolidation efforts are continuing, but are not specifically part of the measure.

While some lament a perceived loss of local control, others see opportunities for efficiency. Larry Rosenthal, senior lecturer at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, said those arguments are cyclical, but typically have financial roots.

"There are local agencies that get in trouble and they can't afford their bills, and in fact it's similar in the corporate world, you're looking for a friendly takeover, someone who will assume your liabilities, and keep the trains running on time," Rosenthal said.

While Measure H has a long endorsement list, not everyone is on board.

Matt Heath, chairman of the Sonoma County Republican Party, said the added costs, atop everything else, are just too much.

"This is actually an increase in everyone's taxes. Currently, Santa Rosa, is ranked the eighth most expensive city to live in in the entire united states. Families, especially young families cannot afford to absorb any more increase in the cost of living. it's very expensive to live in Sonoma County," Heath said.

According to Heath, if these are urgent priorities, county political leaders should use existing funds, rather than rely on a citizen backed initiative to raise money for basic government functions

"I put the blame on this being on the ballot on the Board of Supervisors and I feel bad and ashamed for our firemen that they have to go forth and ask the individual taxpayers, 'please, pay more taxes so that we can provide a service,'" Heath added.

"Our supervisors need to start prioritizing our first responders in the budget with a huge amount of money and not rely upon the taxpayers to have to make these hard decisions when it comes to the ballot box," Heath continued.

Selfridge said that's not really the case. He said the county only gives funding for certain specific purposes.

"Fire departments provide services either through their cities or through special districts. Generally, the county of Sonoma provides emergency management services, and hazardous materials response and mitigation, so County of Sonoma at most they subsidize the fire department as they....helped...to...encourage consolidation...umm....Sorry...I don't, I don't have a better answer for why...y'know, just historically, the county of Sonoma doesn't, they're not responsible for administering fire services," Selfridge said.

Measure H requires a simple majority for approval. The sale tax increase would remain in place in perpetuity, unless repealed by voters. Ballots must be turned in or postmarked by election day, March 5th.