By Roger Gitlin – EYE ON DEL NORTE – August 8, 2021

Tale of Coquille Fire and Emergency Services: Saturday, my ’34 Chevy pickup and I were one of 227 antique, classic and hot rods attending the 30th Annual Coquille Steak Feed fundraiser at Sturdivant Park. What a great event! I’m told this event was the biggest ever, raising between $20,000-$40,000 for the Coquille Fire and Rescue to acquire the vital equipment necessary to save lives.

Recognition and Appreciation to Chief Justin Ferrin and his Staff and Volunteers for hosting this successful event and not placing the burden on City taxpayers with an added property tax assessment.

Tale of another District: Crescent Fire Protection District and the path it took over two elections in shoving (not steak) but this tax down the throats of Fire District voters in Del Norte County. No effort was expended to find a fair and equitable manner to effectively deliver needed fire and emergency services to constituents. The Board of five commissioners pushed this property tax and LOST the popular vote TWICE, once in October and this past June, but because of the Plan West flawed Evaluative Voting Protocol which weighted multi-residential property owners with a 10.5 ratio to one, over single-family improved properties, the Assessment past by 1/10 of 1%, a single YES vote. The new Assessment of a minimum of $98 will be placed on CFPD IMPROVED property tax OWNERS, if you reside within the CFPD boundaries.

Clearly Unfair!!!

Remember these names on the CFPD Commission:

JIM NELSON, Chairman who ignorantly defended the tax by urging you to give up two cigarettes a day.

DAVE SHORT, Vice Chair who said and did NOTHING to address the last- resort-tax, without addressing the patently unfair Plan West ballot evaluation.

RICK KELLE Y, who insulted those who disagreed with the election process with his “Tough Bananas” comment. Embarrassingly shameful!

JAMES ERLER, who voted YES on the results of the fraudulent election and NO on the implementation of the Assessment, SCHIZOPHRENIC, and made a comment about giving up cup of coffee to pay for the Assessment and..

JOE GRIGORIO, my very dear friend who expressed his doubts yet voted YES in burdening a beleaguered, tax- weary constituency.

The above five have zero imagination, no steak feeds, no car shows, absolutely no creativity to find another way to address emergency services’ needs.

It is, and they are, P A T H E T I C !!

A tale of two Fire Districts and how each addresses its challenges.

Hat’s off to Coquille.

Sunglases of Shame on to Crescent Fire Protection District.