THE ORO VALLEY WATCHDOG - Revised August 9th, 2006 THE ORO VALLEY WATCHDOG - Revised August 9th, 2006
Unless you've been gone in the past few months, you probably have heard something about the controversy involving the agreement referenced in the title above. The Explorer weekly of June 21 had extensive coverage about it. Most persons with whom we spoke had not yet received the "escalated" bill from Rural/Metro Corporation and just shrugged. They didn't understand what was happening.
Then, after subscribers started getting their "escalated" fee from Rural/Metro Corporation, community activist Art Segal did an excellent job of distilling the main points and the major objections. We learned that Rural/Metro, a private corporation that had been charging a fee based on the size of your property was now matching the TAX being charged all property owners in Golder Ranch Fire DISTRICT, even though our property had yet to be annexed into GRFD. The total was a LOT MORE ...as much as double, what we had been paying to Rural/Metro.
Let's look at the terms of the actual FIRE SERVICE AGREEMENT of February 16, 2006, a three way compact between Rural/Metro, Golder Ranch Fire District and Southwest Ambulance, also a private business, affiliated with Rural/Metro. (Actually here, the tail (Southwest) is wagging the Rural/Metro Dog - but that's another ball of yarn to unwind elsewhere)
This, for lack of legaleese, is a synopsis. Analysis will trail some of the terms. You are welcome to send us your comments. .
To save time and space R/M is Rural/Metro Corp, GRFD is Golder Ranch Fire Department and "Southwest" is Southwest Ambulance service. Editorial comments are in italics - Editor
"The cost of all R/M fire subscriptions in Oro Valley will increase to match the Golder Ranch Tax Assessments." The GRFD rate is now 2.11 for each $100 of assessed valuation of proprerties - counting 18-cents for Bond payoff. (See Tax Math to guesstimate your next R/M bill)
"Subscription rates will be adjusted annually to GRFD rates." Uh-oh, GRFD can raise their rate to $3.25 per $100 assessed valuation - thanks to Steve Huffman, who gave leadership to new legislation. Sharpen your pencils, folks and redo the math."
Rural/Metro is to make an initial payment of $225,000 for the first year for Zone 1, up on the northernmost quadrant contiguous to present territory long since annexed by GRFD, along with prorated payment for the remainer of the "time period." We assume the time-period to be when Golder Ranch has succeeded in annexing all "3 zones" outlined in the contract.
Zone 2. Rural/Metro will pay GRFD $200,000 the first year, $250,000 the next year, plus prorated payments for the balance of the time period.
Zone 1 and 2 reach down to the CDO wash and Zone 3 continues down to the hoped-for annexation by GRFD at whatever is the southern boundary of Oro Valley. ( Presently midway between Magee and Ina)
( If the annexation of Westward look by Oro Valley succeeds, OV will be dealing with Northwest Fire District, which now covers that area.)
The annexation attempt of Zones 1 and 2 are to be concurrent.
Zone 3. Petition passing by GRFD is to begin April 1, 2010. Rural/Metro will withdraw all Fire Service resources from their Fire Station 76, on before October 1, 2010.
AS THE WATCHDOG UNDERSTANDS IT, THE PALISADES FIRE STATION and THE FIRE STATION ON MAGEE near NORTH ORACLE ARE TO CLOSE AS A CAP-OFF OF THIS CONTRACT.
August 7th - GRFD Chief stated to us Monday that his fire district will construct two new fire stations making a total of four stations in Oro Valley. The Watchdog presumes that since GRFD were to have built a second fire recently in Saddlebrooke for $1.55-million in Bond money we can expect that these two new stations could cost at least $2-million.
PS: All of this is contingent upon annexation by Golder Ranch Fire District: Getting the signatures of the owners of 50% plus 1 of the properties now served by Rural/Metro. Caveat: This is supposed to occur in three phases with the District parameters as described in the agreement
To sum up; The net effect of what is being attempted, is that we, the taxpayers of Oro Valley are being asked to provide an additional $3.2-million a year (to begin with) for Fire Protection - with even higher costs almost a promise in future years, for the same amount of protection - and in reality, for some of us down on the south end of Oro Valley - less.
-Captain Queeg
RETURN TO THE FRONT PAGE OF THE WATCHDOG