Editorial: Yes vote on Measure K will provide the safety we need

Windsor voters have a critically important decision to make on
Nov. 7 when they will be asked to support Measure K, a special tax
that will provide the funding that is needed for the Windsor Fire
Protection District to protect the people of Windsor.
The November ballot is a full one and contains many other
important decisions and ballot measures. For the people of Windsor,
however, Measure K is of paramount importance because it concerns
the level of emergency services that will be available to them in
the future. Right now, those services are inadequate because
funding for the Windsor Fire Protection district has not been
increased since voters approved the district in 1986. This is not
just a matter of opinion ‹ an independent study supports the fact
that with just two firefighters on duty, the district cannot
provide adequate fire and emergency medical services to its
residents.
Since 1986 when the district was formed, the Town of Windsor was
incorporated, the town¹s population has boomed and calls for
service have nearly quadrupled. The WFPD does an exemplary job and
has managed its resources responsibly, but the demands for service
have outpaced its resources.
It is important for voters in the 30-square-mile district to
understand that the WFPD is not one of the services provided by the
Town of Windsor. It is an independent entity approved by
voters.
Two previous attempts to increase the WFPD tax have failed, but
the political and financial situation is very different this time
around. First, there is no opposition to the special tax increase.
Former County Supervisor Nick Esposti, who was opposed to a similar
tax measure last year, is now co-chairing the committee to Save
Windsor and win approval for Measure K. That support is based
largely on the fact that the Town of Windsor has pledged
significant support for the WFPD, which it has not done in the
past.
In an action last week, the Town Council agreed to use Town
funds to build a new fire station and provide the land, and help
purchase a new ladder truck. That action was made possible by an
independent study the Town commissioned. The report recommended
that the Town could use redevelopment funds to assist the district
and it also confirmed what the WFPD has been saying for years ‹
that more professional firefighters are needed to provide safe
levels of emergency services to Windsor residents.
All that is needed now is for voters to approve Measure K ‹ a
tax that amounts to roughly 20 cents a day for most homeowners. We
believe it¹s a worthwhile investment in the health and safety of
Windsor. We strongly recommend a Yes vote on Measure K.
‹ Barry W. Dugan