O.C. Fire Union: Let’s Talk

Supporters of an effort to steer more Orange County money toward fighting fires say they will postpone plans to take their campaign to voters if the Board of Supervisors agrees Tuesday to formally negotiate the issue.

County officials have informally discussed distributing to the Fire Authority some of the half-cent sales tax revenue generated by a 1993 statewide initiative to help fund public safety agencies, but have taken no formal position.

In Orange County, 80% of the proceeds from Proposition 172 go to the Sheriff’s Department and 20% to the district attorney’s office.

Firefighters say they have been left out.

The Orange County Professional Firefighters Assn. wants the county to give firefighters a portion of future sales tax growth until their share reaches 10% of total revenue from the special tax.

Such sharing would divert more than $20 million a year from the Sheriff’s Department and district attorney’s office to firefighting coffers.

Board Chairman Tom Wilson said Friday that he agreed to put the firefighters’ request on Tuesday’s agenda “because this may avoid a confrontation on the ballot.”

The firefighters’ measure has been opposed by the Assn. of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, raising the specter of two public safety unions dueling for voters’ affections.

In February, about 100 deputies crowded a Fire Authority meeting to protest the proposal.

Firefighters have collected more than the 67,000 signatures required to qualify the measure for the ballot, union Vice President Dan Young said.

The signatures will be submitted to the registrar of voters Wednesday unless the board agrees to open formal negotiations on the revenue split, he said.

“We’re showing good faith,” Young said. “I think we’re close enough to reach an agreement, which would always be better than going to an initiative. But we need formal negotiations to reach a deal.”

Firefighters don’t relish a public feud with deputies if it can be avoided by reaching a deal, he said.

“Two public agencies [that] people trust, involved in a dramatic issue, isn’t healthy for anyone,” he said.

Firefighters have voted to fund a campaign supporting the measure if it is submitted for November or for next year. Members agreed to raise $500,000 over three years for campaigning, Young said.

Sheriff’s deputies say the Proposition 172 money is critically needed by departments that have no other source of revenue, while firefighters receive a share of property taxes in most cities.

The increase in tax money they would lose to firefighters would otherwise help the Sheriff’s Department and district attorney’s office keep pace with inflation, their union officials said.

Firefighters contend that voters intended for them to have a share of the money to replace outdated equipment. The measure was passed in the wake of fires that consumed hundreds of homes in Laguna Beach and Malibu.

The initiative was signed by firefighter union officials, as well as Dana Point City Councilman James V. Lacy, Irvine City Councilman Chris Mears and Placentia City Councilman Chris Lowe.

Lacy said the measure would upgrade firefighting efforts throughout the county without the need to raise taxes.

Times staff writer David Reyes contributed to this report.