The proposed district would provide fire protection for homes and businesses for a large portion of the county, outside of Grants Pass, Cave Junction and a number of other communities already protected by fire districts. The plan is in its early stages, with the first public hearing set for Oct. 23.
Special districts are often funded by taxes. But at a meeting on Wednesday morning, County Commissioner Herman Baertschiger said unlike past efforts, residents could now have more input into how this district would be funded.
"This time, I want it to be driven by the citizens. And that way, hopefully we can establish this district and a rate that we all can agree upon and come to consensus," he said.
The proposal does not include a permanent base tax rate, which could be set later on.
In the meantime, Josephine County Legal Counsel Wally Hicks said the district would be funded by money from the state legislature, designated in 2019 "for rural fire protection district start-up costs after district is created," according to the bill.
"The district would receive the $1.5 million that the county is currently holding for it, and that would be the initial funding for the district," he said in an interview Wednesday.
The Board of Commissioners would establish the district and draw its boundaries. A governing board would then be elected to oversee it in May 2025. That governing board could decide whether or not to impose a tax in the future, which would have to be approved by voters.
"Even if the district never did get a tax assigned to it by the voters or approved by the voters, it would still be able to enact legislation, create regulations, provide oversight, provide services to the residents of the district in a certain fashion," Hicks said.
Under the current proposal, property owners can also choose whether or not to opt into the district.
A similar proposal, with a proposed permanent tax rate of $1.74 per $1,000 of assessed value, was voted down by residents in 2021 by about 6 percent.
The first public hearing for this proposal will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 9 a.m. at the Anne Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass.
