By Jondi Gumz
In June 2006, the Scotts Valley Fire District asked voters to approve an $8 million bond to replace the fire station on Erba Lane, the vote was 3,874 to 3,537 — yes votes totaled 65.2% but 2/3 yes was needed for passage.
Since then, no other asks have been made.
With the Erba Lane fire station built in 1964 getting older, the fire district board, headed by Daron Pisciotta, and the new chief, Mark Correira, are asking voters for a 30-year bond of $22.24 million to build a new station on a district-owned lot on La Madrona Drive across from the Hilton Hotel.
Property owners would pay $27.50 per $100,000 of assessed value, so for a newer home assessed at $1 million, the owner would pay $275 per year. Of course, many homes not sold recently have lower assessments.
Correira noted the fire district has gone to the voters only twice since 1994 for operational funding. Voters said yes in 1994 to Measure F, to change the appropriation limit. In 2000, voters said no to Measure V, a $51 parcel tax to provide advanced life support.
The Measure W bond vote is Nov. 7. No one filed an argument against.
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Argument in Favor for Measure W
Vote YES on Measure W for Improved Community Safety!
The fire station headquarters at Erba Lane does not meet essential services building and safety standards, putting the community of Scotts Valley at risk in the event of a disaster.
The ballot measure will allow for the construction of a new strategically located fire station on La Madrona Drive across from the Hilton Hotel. Once built, the Erba Lane fire station will be decommissioned.
YES on W will keep our friends, family, firefighters and community members safe.
Community Safety
Currently, the 60-year-old Scotts Valley Fire Station on Erba Lane:
- Is seismically unsafe and has reached the end of its useful life – according to two different third-party professional evaluations.
- Will not likely withstand an earthquake, trapping your firefighters and preventing them from responding to the community.
- Is not built to modern building codes and firefighting safety standards.
- Is not in the most effective location to respond to all areas of the Fire District.
- Does not have a command center to handle large-scale incidents to support the District or City.
YES on W will:
- Provide a safe, strategically located fire station that meets seismic standards and building codes.
- Keep our firefighters and community members safe.
- Improve District coverage and response times.
- Support responsible community growth.
Financial Impact
- The Fire District already owns the land on La Madrona Drive – it was purchased in 2002 for this purpose.
- These bond funds can only be used to pay for the station relocation effort.
- Building costs will continue to rise in the years to come.
- Investing in a new station will meet the needs of the community now and into the future.
Safety is a Community Responsibility — Please join us in voting YES on Measure W.
VOTE YES on Measure W
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When to Vote on Measure W
The ballots for the Nov. 7 election will be mailed on Oct. 9. There will be a voter guide included with the ballot that will tell what options there will be for in-person voting.
Santa Cruz County clerk Tricia Webber said because this election is on an established date, there will be vote centers.
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Voting at the County Elections Office
701 Ocean St Room 310, Santa Cruz
Oct. 9 through Nov. 6
Monday-Friday | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Oct. 28-29 and Nov. 4-5
Saturday-Sunday | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Election Day
Tuesday, Nov. 7 | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.