LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Fire Protection District will hold a special mail ballot election this spring in an effort to pass a new parcel tax to help fund the district’s operations.

The district board of directors has called a special election to put “Measure M” before voters on Tuesday, May 7.

Voters will be asked to impose the parcel tax to continue to provide fire and emergency medical services.

Measure M is estimated to bring in $1,206,000 million annually to the district, whose financial struggles prompted the fire district board in the fall to accept a budget that laid off three full-time firefighters, as Lake County News has reported.

The polls will be open between the hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

The abbreviated statement of the measure to appear on the ballot is as follows:

“To decrease response times and increase fire protection/emergency medical services by increasing staffing at fire stations; and to maintain/replace outdated firefighting equipment, shall the Lakeport Fire Protection District Measure repealing existing fire protection services taxes and levying a tax of $6.14 per benefit unit annually on each parcel of property in the District be adopted, estimated to raise about $1,206,000 annually; until ended by voters, with independent community oversight and all money staying local?”

Measure M requires a two-thirds majority vote – or a 66.7-percent supermajority. If it gets that number or better in yes votes, then the District’s Ordinance No. 1819-01 will become effective July 1, 2019.

Arguments for and against District Measure M must be typed and submitted to the Lake County Registrar of Voters, Lake County Courthouse, Room 209, 255 N Forbes St., Lakeport, telephone 707-263-2372, no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, March 11.

The Registrar of Voters Office said written arguments may be submitted by the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board of Directors or any member or members of the board, or any individual voter who is eligible to vote on the measure, or bona fide association of citizens, or any combination of such voters and associations may file a written argument for or against any district measure.

No argument shall exceed 300 words in length. No more than five signatures shall appear with any argument.

All arguments must be accompanied by the “Statement That Argument Is True And Correct” as required by Section 9600 of the CA Elections Code provided by the Registrar of Voters office, stating the printed name and signature or printed names and signatures of the person or persons submitting it or, if submitted on behalf of an organization, the name of the organization and the printed name and signature of at least one of its principal officers.

Only one argument for and one argument against District Measure M shall be selected for printing and distribution in voter information pamphlets included with mailed ballots. Authors of a selected argument may prepare and submit a rebuttal argument not exceeding 250 words to the Lake County Registrar of Voters no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, March 18.

Carol Huchingson, the county’s administrative officer and the interim registrar of voters, will notify the author, or authors, of selected arguments in writing of the procedure to submit a rebuttal argument.