AREA OFFICIALS VOICE SUPPORT FOR PROP. E.Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer More than 100 firefighters, paramedics, residents and city and county officials gathered in front of area city halls Thursday in rallies to urge passage of Proposition E. Speakers urged Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley voters to tell others about the Tuesday ballot measure to renew a property tax that now provides about one-seventh of the Los Angeles County Fire Department Not to be confused with Los Angeles Fire Department. The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD), serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including the City of La budget. ``Proposition E is vital,'' said Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich Michael Dennis Antonovich (born 1939 in Los Angeles, California) is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors representing the Fifth District, which covers northern Los Angeles County, the Antelope, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, and parts of the San Fernando and San . ``We only have a few days left but the decision will last for decades.'' The measure is being put before voters because of the passage in November of Proposition 218, which invalidated a 6-year-old Fire Department assessment along with countless similar taxes statewide, but permits future assessments approved by property owners or special taxes approved by voters. If approved by two-thirds of the voters, Proposition E would impose a property tax of $48 a year on homeowners. The assessment it replaces was $50.96 this year, officials said. Fire officials have said that if the measure fails, 285 firefighters and paramedics countywide would be laid off and 20 fire stations closed, including up to five in the Antelope Valley. The rallies Thursday in Lancaster, Palmdale and Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, were part of a three-day, six-city whistle-stop tour Noun 1. whistle-stop tour - a tour by a candidate as part of a political campaign in which a series of small towns are visited; "in 1948 Truman crossed the country several times on his whistle-stop tours" organized by Proposition E supporters. ``If we lose, we have no choice then to reduce services. This could cause delays which could cost lives,'' Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Fire Chief Michael Freeman Michael Roy Freeman (born 9 December 1960, London, England) is a New Zealand chess player. He emigrated to New Zealand in September 1967. He was a pupil at Otago Boys High School, Dunedin from 1974 to 1978. said during the Palmdale rally, after telling his listeners he was campaigning on his day off. The rally outside Palmdale City Hall was in view of Fire Station 37, which responds to more fires than any station in the county and overall is the second busiest. ``We don't have enough as it is,'' said Fire Capt. Dirk Wegner, who works out of Fire Station 37 and came to the rally while off duty. ``We have 32 runs each day, inspect 800 fire hydrants and visit 1,200 businesses every year.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (Color) Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Michael Freeman checks out signs backing Proposition E at a Lancaster rally Thursday. Jeff Goldwater/Daily News |
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