While the county is set to impose property owners in the newly expanded 19,000-square-mile fire protection district, FP-5, with an additional $157 per parcel assessment starting November 2019, two lawsuits that seek to invalidate the charge are scheduled to be heard in the courts. Reporter Mike Lipsitz has this update on progress of the lawsuits…
The court will hear a motion seeking to halt the expansion of the FP-5 district and the associated tax on January 16. The main plaintiff, San Diego-based non-profit Red Brennan Group, along with individuals and community groups from Homestead, Lucerne, and Johnson valleys, contend that the fire assessment approved by county supervisors last October violates the state constitution by imposing as special tax circumventing the required approval by a two-thirds vote by the electorate. Plaintiffs go on to claim as invalid the county’s assertion that voter approval was not required since those in the expanded 19,000 square miles were annexed to a district that was already paying the fire assessment. A second lawsuit brought by an individual plaintiff, Paul Austin, also seeks to invalidate the assessment. That case is expected to be heard March 14.
Reporting for Z107.7 News, this is Mike Lipsitz.
For its part, the county is relying on the assessment to pay down a $30 million budget shortfall to pay for fire protection services.
LAWSUITS TO INVALIDATE THE FP-5 FIRE TAX PROGRESSING: AN UPDATE
