Pass: 573 / 75.59% Yes votes ...... 185 / 24.41% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

If this measure is approved by a two-thirds vote, the ordinance of the Board of Supervisors of County Service Area No. 27 imposing a special tax to continue emergency paramedic services in the amount of thirty nine dollars ($39.00), increasing by three dollars ($3.00) per year for not to exceed forty eight dollars ($48.00) per year for each living unit, and in the amount of thirty nine dollars ($39.00) increasing by $3.00 per year per 1,500 square feet of structure of each developed parcel in non-residential use, as defined in said ordinance will be confirmed and adopted.

Dated: August 24, 2006

s/PATRICK K. FAULKNER,
County Counsel

Since 1982, the voters in the Ross Valley have overwhelmingly approved a special tax to provide paramedic service. To continue this high standard of emergency medical care for four more years, you must now re-approve this tax with a modest proposed increase. The initial Ross Valley Paramedic Authority (RVPA) tax provided for a single ambulance. The demand for paramedic service from our citizens dictates that service levels continue to expand and evolve. We ask that you consider a modest increase of $9.00 in the first year and if needed a $3.00 annual increase in the remaining three years, in order to maintain our current levels of service and to plan for future improvements based on community demand for high quality, fire department based, advanced life support paramedic services.

Your parcel tax pays for a significant portion of the paramedic program and enables us not to directly bill our Ross Valley resident customers. Additional funds are collected from medical insurance companies and through billing of non-resident customers. In addition, your tax covers expenses associated with paramedic training, medical supplies and equipment, and the replacement of ambulance vehicles when needed.

Our goal is to continue to provide state of the art paramedic care in the Ross Valley. We need your vote to continue this vital service. Vote YES on Measure J.

s/HAROLD BROWN
Marin County Supervisor

s/ROGER MEAGOR
Fire Chief

(No arguments against Measure J were submitted)

Ordinance No. 3457

An ordinance of the Marin County Board of Supervisors increasing the amount of the special tax for paramedic services in County Service Area 27

SECTION I. Authority, Purpose and Intent. This ordinance is adopted pursuant to Article 3.5 of Chapter 1, Part 1, Division 1, Title V (Sections 50075, et seq.) of the California Government Code, and it is the purpose and intent of this ordinance to impose a special tax on property within this Area for purposes of funding paramedic services.

SECTION II. Upon enactment of this ordinance as hereinafter provided, a special tax for the purposes outlined in Section I hereof in an amount not to exceed $48.00 per year for each living unit, and $48.00 per year for each 1,500 square feet of structure on each developed parcel in non-residential use.

SECTION III. Tax Rate. The Board shall determine annually, based upon a budget recommended to it, whether the basic rate shall be revised to reflect changes in charges and costs. If the Board determines that the basic tax rate shall be revised to a rate lower than set forth in Section II hereof, it shall so revise said rate by resolution passed by a simple majority of the Board.

SECTION IV. Method of Collection. The special tax imposed by this ordinance for the purposes outlined in Section I is due from every person who owns a living unit or non-residential structure within this Area as reflected upon the rolls of the County Assessor at the same time ad valorem tax is due and is to be collected in the same manner. The Marin County Tax Collector shall collect the tax and any penalty or interest due hereunder. The full amount due under this ordinance shall constitute a debt to the Area.

An action for the collection of any tax due hereunder may be commenced in the name of the Area in any court having jurisdiction of the cause.

SECTION V. Delinquencies. To any amount of the tax created by this ordinance which becomes delinquent, the Marin County Tax Collector shall add a penalty in an amount equal to any penalties owing for delinquencies in the ad valorem property tax. The tax and penalty shall bear interest at the same rate as the rate for unpaid ad valorem property tax until paid.

SECTION VI. Severance Clause. If any section of this ordinance is held invalid or unenforceable by any court and such judgment becomes final, then that section may be amended by a majority vote of this Board to conform with the judgment of such court, provided such amendment is consistent with the purpose and intent of this ordinance.

If any section, subsection, sentence, phrase or clause of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this ordinance. The people of County Service Area 27 hereby declare that they would have adopted this ordinance, and each section, subsection, sentence, phrase or clause thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, phrases or clauses may be declared invalid.

SECTION VII. Effective Date. This ordinance shall become effective not later than thirty (30) days after its adoption by the Board of Supervisors, but shall not take effect unless and until it is approved by two-thirds of the voters voting upon this ordinance at an election to be held on November 7, 2006.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of County Service Area 27, held on the 25th day of July, 2006, by the following vote:

AYES: SUPERVISORS Charles McGlashan, Harold C. Brown, Jr., Steve Kinsey, Susan L. Adams
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: SUPERVISOR Cynthia L. Murray

s/SUSAN L. ADAMS
President, Board of Supervisors

ATTEST:

s/MATTHEW H. HYMEL
Clerk