Burbank-Paradise voters approving special tax by slight margin

A measure to increase a special tax in Burbank-Paradise Fire District could pass by a slight margin.

Voters are supporting Measure C by a 68 percent to 32 percent margin in an incomplete count. Tuesday was the last day to return ballots for the all-mail special district election.

The annual $75 tax on homes for emergency services requires 66.7 percent for approval.

The Stanislaus County registrar of voters still needs to count an unknown number of ballots postmarked on or before Tuesday. The election office will release the final results Friday.

County Registrar of Voters Lee Lundrigan said she believed fewer than 20 ballots remained but that more could arrive in the mail. Hypothetically, if an additional 15 ballots were counted, six “yes” votes would be needed for Measure C to pass.

The measure would create a new $75 tax on owner-occupied homes and eliminate a $48 yearly assessment, resulting in a $27 increase for taxpayers in the fire protection district. Burbank-Paradise provides fire protection and other emergency services in unincorporated areas of southwest Modesto and in a rural area southwest of the city.

The proposed tax would be $100 for rental homes, $150 for commercial property and $75 for vacant parcels. The district plans to use the additional funding for a major remodel of the fire station on Beverly Drive in Modesto.

The tax revenue also could be used for fire protection, prevention and emergency services, equipment replacement and personnel costs.

As of Tuesday night, 11 percent of the 2,698 registered voters in the district had cast ballots. The numerical count was 204 voting “yes” and 96 “no.”

This story was originally published August 26, 2015 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Burbank-Paradise voters approving special tax by slight margin."