The City of Lathrop in 2012 saw the proverbial writing on the wall.
Relying on a fire district dependent only on property taxes was severely compromising the ability to protect homes, businesses, and lives within the city limits.
The Great Recession sustainably gutted Lathrop Manteca Fire District (LMFD) finances forcing the periodic closure of one of their four fire stations.
Even though they had nothing to do with the fire district per se, Lathrop city leaders realized their community was at the mercy of the Imitations property taxes placed on the fire district.
Initially, they explored establishing their own fire department. That was determined to be too costly.
Given the city had other pressing needs such as police and park upgrades, they settled on a one cent sales tax proposal.
A set percentage would go to LMFD to help pay for fire protection within the city limits.
Voters approved the sales tax.
Today Measure C sales tax receipts fund 12 LMFD positions including the ability to staff a three-man engine company 24/7.
All three fire stations within Lathrop’s city limits are staffed.
When Ripon Consolidated Fire District leaders prior to the last parcel tax measure being floated in 2018 approached Ripon’s municipal officials about the city pursuing sales tax increase as Lathrop did to assure adequate staffing, it was batted down.
The RCFD parcel tax election conducted in 2018 failed.
It set up the staffing shortage RCFD is now dealing with as the result of the parcel tax not being increased in more than 30 years.
A mail-in election involving RCFD parcel owners is now underway.
It is designed to provide funding for the 56 square mile fire district with 22,000 people to protect with the ability to staff a second fire engine instead of just one.
As such the RCFD would be able to reopen the fire station in the northeast portion of the city that is also in a more advantageous position to protect rural Ripon to the north and east as compared to equipment responding from the Stockton Avenue headquarters station.
The rate hike, if approved by the majority on property owners, would set the assessment at an estimated:
*$250 a year ($21 a month) for single family homes up to 3,600 square feet.
*$264 a year ($22 a month) for single family homes between 3,601 and 4,526 square feet.
*$278 a year ($23) a month) for single families homes more than 4,526 square feet.
*$1,526 a year for multiple-unit housing with 5 to 10 units.
*$3,220 a year for multiple- unit housing with 21 to 40 units.
*$16,124 a year for multiple-unit housing with more than 100 units.
*$143 for all row crop and orchard agricultural parcels.
The parcel tax hike is tailored to generate funds needed to hire six firefighters to allow the opening of the River Road fire station with an engine company staffed 24/7.
As such, Ripon Fire won’t have to wait for a City of Manteca Fire engine to arrive in order to effectively fight structure fires.
It also will address salary and other issues that are making it difficult to compete for — and retain — firefighter personnel when compared to nearby jurisdictions.
The starting pay for firefighters in Ripon of $21.23 per hour has led to Ripon Fire being consistently short staffed.
Manteca starts its firefighters at $28 per hour.
Ripon residents also count on the fire district for advanced life support ambulances.
The department handled 2,000 plus calls in 2023. Of those, about 25 percent occurs at or new the same time.
Again, with one engine it requires the availability of a distant fire engine from a nearby jurisdiction for a timely response.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
