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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/30/1992 - VOTER'S PAMPHLET· / I VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION YOU MAY REGISTER TO VOTE IF: YOU MUST RE-REGISTER IF: 1. You are a citizen of the United States. 2. You will be 18 years of age or older on election day. 3. You are a resident of Oregon. 1. Your residence or mailing address changes. 2. Your name changes. 3. You wish to change political party affiliation. IMPORTANT: Registration cut-off for this June 30, 1992 election was June 9, 1992. However, if you have not re-registered and have 1. Moved. 2. Changed your mailing address, or 3. Changed your name. You may still be able to vote, but you must call Jackson County Elections. Ballots must be in our office by 8:00 p.m. June 30th to be counted CALL: 776-7181 TTY/TDD 776-7183 Cover Photo: Courtesy of Fire Woodley, City of Ashland. Chief RECYCLE this pamphlet with your newspapers City of Ashland Jackson County Voters' Pamphlet 72~ Vote-By-Mail Election, June 30, 1992 Dear Jackson County Voter: You have found this voters' pamphlet inserted in the envelope with your ballot. Normally we would have mailed it separately; however, we have done this to help reduce the cost of this election by $1,824.00. Jackson County will be producing a voters' pamphlet for all elections held this budget year (July 1991 thru June 1992). If you have comments or questions regarding this pamphlet, please contact me at 776-7242. If you have any questions about voter registration, voting or getting a replacement ballot, call 776-7181. Kathy Beckett, Jackson County Clerk City of Ashland City of Ashland Measure No. 15-1 BALLOT TITLE THREE-YEAR SERIAL LEVY TO: PUR- CHASE TWO FIRE ENGINES -- QUESTION: Shall City of Ashland levy $220,000 each year for three years. outside the' tax base, for fire engines beginning 1992-937 SUMMARY: The City of Ashlan'd needs .to' replace two fire engines, model years. 1962· and 1973. The levy would vary. from· $180,000 to $220,000 over· the three years. This serial levy:' would provide up·to $220,000 per year 'and raise' a total of $ '600,000 over the three-year period~ The estimated'tax. rate 'would be 25.73 cents. per' Drought conditions in Southern Oregon over the past seven years have increased the need for the prompt and reliable response of fire department equipment to fire alarms within the City. Rapid control of fires is crucial to prevent the spread of fire into ad- jacent structures and wildland areas. Increased fire alarm responses create additional burdens on the old firefighting vehicles. New state and federal safety guidelines re- quire improved firefighting vehicle safety to reduce the number of firefighter deaths and injuries which occur in equipment-related ac, cidents. New firefighting vehicle designs reduce firefighter deaths and injuries, and im- prove efficiency of fire fighting operations. A recent review by the Insurance Services Of- thousand or $38.60 '"annually on a..$150,"1000. rice, which establishes fire insurance ratings home. Thislevy would.'l~ outside the..6.% lim{ta-' upon which some fire insurance premiums are tion as imposed by Section 11, Artiele. X!'of'.the i based, reinforced the need for the City to Oregon Constitution.. Thislevy is subject:to .the.. maintain the service integrity of its firefighting other gore :rnmental pm'l~ses..lhnitof .Secti'on::'llb,i. vehicles. EXPLANATORY STATEMENT This proposed three year serial levy is for the purpose of replacing two aged and unreliable firefighting vehicles. Both vehicles are pumpers, meaning they pump water on fires in emergency situations. One was manufactured in 1962 and the other in 1973. Heavy use of these vehicles has resulted in their depreciation and increased breakdowns requiring frequent repairs. The fire depart- ment has identified a need to replace these vehicles with four-wheel drive fire fighting vehicles to improve emergency response capabilities in upper elevations and wildland areas of the City. While the Fire Department has established a replacement account for capital equipment replacement projects, these monies are only sufficient to cover the cost of replacing the emergency medical response vehicles within the department. The cost of fire equipment has dramatically increased as a result of safety regulations and liability issues, forcing a need for funding outside of the department's annual operating budget. If this levy is authorized by the voters of Ashland, the first firefighting vehicle will pro- bably arrive in July 1993. Submitted by: Keith Woodley Fire Chief City of Ashland Measure No. 15-1 No arguments in favor of this Ballot Measure were filed. ARGUMENT IN OPPOSITION Ashland needs to replace two fire engines but it does not need to increase property taxes to do so. The Equipment Fund will have a projected unap- propriated balance of $1,224,000 as of June 30, 1993. If the $120,000 to be levied by this measure this year were charged to the Equipment Fund, the unappropriated balance would be $1,044,000. Fire equipment could be purchased from the $600,000 unappropriated in the Capital Im- provements Fund. The City has not been forthcom- ing about its plans for this money. Last year, $60,000 from this fund was used for airport im- provements -- an expenditure that only benefitted a special interest group. Use of these funds for fire equipment would benefit everybody. This measure is a cynical attempt to use "firesafety" as a reason to boost revenue at a time when the City is failing to control costs. The dollar amount of property taxes collected by the City in- creased 18% in 1989, 15% in 1990, 27% in 1991, and will increase 18 % this year if this measure passes. Water rates are in the midst of a planned 100% increase, sewer rates are up about 30% in the last two years, and another large increase in electric rates is likely next year. These double-digit increases are occurring at a time when the national inflation rate is 4 - 5 % and wages, (except for our City Government), are failing to keep pace with inflation. If these trends continue Ashland could quickly become the least affordable city in Oregon. Utility rates are a regressive tax. Steep increases mean that our students, poor people, and elderly on fixed income are paying a disproportionate share of the cost of City Government. A "NO" vote on this measure is a vote for cost effective and humane City Government. Such a government would use excess funds to subsidize utility rates instead of memorializing itself with an impressive airport, or fancy new City Of- rices. VOTE NO. Submitted by: Michael D. Sanford (The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Jackson County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument."