Belvedere to poll residents about increasing fire tax

Belvedere plans to poll residents to see if they’d be willing to pay more to help cover the rising cost of emergency and fire services.

The city will partner with firm Team CivX to conduct the polling, which will take place this month and is expected to cost about $34,500. The City Council voted unanimously at its June 12 meeting to approve a budget amendment for fiscal year 2022-2023 to cover the cost.

Depending on the results of the survey, which the firm is expected to present to the council later this summer, the city could then pay the firm an additional $43,500 to help develop a tax measure for the March 2024 ballot, which is when the current fire parcel tax is up for renewal.

Belvedere contracts with the Tiburon Fire Protection District and Southern Marin Emergency Medical Paramedics Service to provide fire and emergency services to residents, who pay a per-unit fee to help cover the cost.

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