Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby is asking voters to pass Measure FD, a parcel tax he says is necessary to fund his department for the future, adding paramedics, improving the 911 system, upgrading firefighting equipment, combating devastating wildfires and keeping up with substantial increases in medical calls for service.
The measure, which requires a two-thirds vote for approval, is on the ballot in unincorporated areas and 56 of the 58 cities served by Osby’s department under the Fire Protection District of Los Angeles County. The measure would levy a parcel tax of 6 cents per square foot on residential and commercial buildings, with a cap of 100,000-square-feet. A homeowner would pay about an extra $90 a year on a property tax bill, Osby said. Low-income seniors are exempt.