Tahoe Donner News July 2021

Page 16

FEATURE

MEASURE T: INCREASE FIRE SAFETY FUNDING BY DETAILS VOTING “YES” THIS AUGUST

BACKGROUND The Town of Truckee is no stranger to the larger, faster and more destructive wildfire danger that California has seen in recent years. Additional resources to reduce this threat are more important than ever to clear dry brush, remove hazards and protect residents against emergencies. The Town of Truckee offers vegetation removal on right of ways and the Truckee Donner Public Utility District creates defensible space around areas like power facilities, but there is much more for Truckee to defend than just these locations. As the rest of the west is being challenged with increased wildfire dangers, grants the Truckee Fire Protection District have relied on in the past are becoming increasingly competitive, delayed and inadequate when it comes to protecting our community.

By ALI DICKSON

This August, a special election in Nevada and

Placer counties will feature Measure T, created by

Measure T, which is a tax measure that would generate approximately $3.7 million annually, is a proposal to provide the Truckee Fire Protection District with the resources it needs to make our community safer. This includes increased defensible space and green waste disposal options for property owners, early fire detection, emergency warning systems and improved evacuation planning. All funding would be controlled locally and go directly to the Truckee Fire Protection District to be used toward projects outlined in Measure T. If approved by two-thirds of local voters, the measure would last eight years, where it could either be renewed by vote or left to expire.

unanimously voted to encourage its residents

This tax rate would be a fixed cost of $179 per parcel per year, which averages out to $0.49 per day. Exemptions would be available for low-income residents. If approved, Measure T will appear in the 2022/23 tax bill. However, the Truckee Fire Protection District would likely borrow against it and start planning and working as soon as passage of the measure is confirmed.

community both in and beyond Tahoe Donner.

While this measure would create an increased level of security in the area, eight years of stable funding for wildfire prevention work

the Truckee Fire Protection District to proactively increase wildfire prevention and mitigation

efforts. The Tahoe Donner Board of Directors have to support this ballot for the safety of their


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Tahoe Donner News July 2021 by CCMedia Publishing - Issuu