Santa Cruz County has sent out new ballots to 284 registered voters in the Central Fire District after inadvertently leaving off Measure R, which would authorize $221 million in bonds for modernizing and replacing fire stations.
According to a letter County Clerk Tricia Webber sent to affected voters, each address in the Central Fire District is assigned to the district and to a division.
“After reviewing the addresses in the district, it was determined that 124 addresses (with 284 registered voters), were assigned only to the Division and not the District, resulting in Measure R not appearing on their ballot,” she wrote.
A new ballot and a letter explaining the mistake were sent to the voters who were affected, and the county has come up with a process to track any incorrect ballots that were already turned in. If a voter sends in the second, correct ballot, the county will make sure that one is counted instead and the original ballot voided.
According to Webber’s letter to voters, the county’s Elections Department has this process in place for these voters:
1. The ballot envelope for these voters has been voided, so when the envelope is returned, it is routed to a team to review.
2. The team determines if the original or the replacement ballot is inside.
3. If it is the replacement ballot, it is prepared for tally.
4. If it is the original ballot, the team contacts the voter to see about the status of the replacement ballot.
5. If a voter returns only the original ballot and never the replacement ballot, and the team does not hear from the voter, the original ballot will be counted.
Measure R would authorize the Central Fire Protection District to issue $221 million in bonds for projects that could include renovation or replacement of outdated fire stations in Soquel, Capitola and La Selva Beach, a potential new training facility and staff offices, replacement of aging equipment and the purchase of land for the possible relocation of fire stations and other facilities.
The measure would normally require 66.67% voter approval to pass, but if state Proposition 5 passes concurrently in this election, then this measure would only require 55% voter approval. Prop 5 seeks to lower the voter approval threshold for local bonds for affordable housing, supportive housing and public infrastructure from 66.67% to 55%.
The bond would be repaid through an ad valorem tax, which is determined based on the current assessed value of each taxable property. The district estimated that the average annual tax rate would be about $29 per $100,000 of assessed property value per year, and the highest tax rate would be about $49 per $100,000 of assessed property value per year. It is estimated that the tax would generate about $11.6 million annually until the bond is paid off.
Santa Cruz County’s Central Fire District includes Aptos, Capitola, La Selva Beach, Live Oak, Rio Del Mar and Soquel.
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