Return our fire services tax dollars to Fitch Mountain
EDITOR: I am co-leader of the Fitch Mountain COPE (Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies). As many of you know, we are very active in emergency preparedness efforts here on the mountain. We understand we live in a Tier 2-3 high severity fire risk area, and we have been taking action to become better prepared since 2016. We know that what happens here affects the City of Healdsburg and if a fire started in the unincorporated Fitch Mountain or the city-owned preserve it would know no boundaries.
One of the reasons we are very supportive of the annexation of Fitch Mountain to the Northern Sonoma County Fire District is because of their proven track record in prioritizing fire prevention projects and community preparedness efforts. We have been working with them closely and with the Healdsburg Fire Department on projects such as pre-attack maps, fire awareness signs, fuels mitigation projects, communication and public education. Despite the fact that we pay taxes to the county that are supposed to go towards fire services, we have had to seek grants for fuels mitigation around our critical infrastructure (roads and water tanks).
We are advocating for all of our tax money designated for fire services be allocated to Northern Sonoma County Fire District with the annexation. Wouldn’t it be unreasonable to ask our residents to support a proposed new tax measure for fire services if the taxes we are already paying for fire don’t come back to our community? With annexation we will not only continue to have outstanding emergency response from Healdsburg Fire Department, but we will also be gaining the innovative fire prevention and preparedness efforts that Northern Sonoma County Fire District is offering. They deserve adequate funding so that they can protect our lives and property and we deserve to put our tax dollars to work in our own community.
Priscilla Abercrombie
Healdsburg
To catch a thief
EDITOR: As I was leaving Safeway this afternoon, I witnessed an astonishing act that we have now allowed. A scraggly guy with an over-the-top shopping cart containing stolen goods was casually leaving the store as the manager and I looked on. It took a minute to click on this incongruous scene, but once I understood, I asked the manager what could be done. He said he could do nothing and I understand Corporate Safeway doesn’t want their employees injured or for the company to be sued.
A quick call to HPD to report the crime and tell them the thief was sitting in front of Starbucks was met with frustrated indifference because the police can’t make an arrest with out a complaint by Safeway. It seems like we as a society have given up on unsocial behavior and I fear our continued permissiveness will only allow our quality of life to suffer.
John Angius
Healdsburg
