Ballot Proposals May Hurt Firefighters’ Measure

Voters will decide Dec. 16 whether the Los Angeles County fire district should replace the city Fire Department and absorb its firefighters.

The City Council set the election date after Alhambra firefighters gathered enough voters signatures to put the measure on the ballot.

But at Thursday’s meeting, council members who have openly opposed any move to become part of the county fire district asked the city attorney to draft two other ballot proposals that could damage the chances for success of the firefighters’ measure.

The first proposed measure would require that all Alhambra firefighters be city employees, while the second measure would ask voters if they would be willing to pay higher taxes to cover the cost of switching to county service.

City Manager Julio Fuentes said the county fire district will set the cost of service. If it is higher than the amount Alhambra currently spends, the city would have to turn to taxpayers to make up the difference.

But firefighters have maintained that the switch would save the city $1 million a year and would provide better service.