Tiburon fire district board rejects Belvedere annexation plan

Belvedere officials hoped that joining the Tiburon Fire Protection District might ease a fire-protection bill its dedicated tax no longer comes close to covering. Instead, fire officials have closed the door on annexation, unwilling to risk that Belvedere voters could someday repeal that tax and leave the district to absorb the loss.

The district’s board of directors voted 3-0 on June 10 to end nearly two years of talks and instead revisit the contract under which it already provides the city’s fire and emergency services. Directors Rick Jones and Mark Capell were absent.

In a memo to the board, Fire Chief Tommy Hellyer said district representatives raised concerns about Belvedere’s fire tax following a March 18 meeting with the city and the Marin Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCo, the state-mandated agency that must approve any change to the boundaries of cities and special districts.

Belvedere has contracted with the Tiburon fire district for coverage since 1981, funded by a special tax that Belvedere residents pay. The contract costs about $2.67 million in fiscal 2026-2027. The tax brings in about $1.26 million of that, leaving the city to cover the roughly $1.41 million difference from its general fund.

Read the complete story in our e-edition, or SUBSCRIBE NOW for home delivery and access to the digital replica.

Comment on this article on Nextdoor.