Page 15 - Sentinel July 2018

LFPD Continued from page 14 1. Structure Fires: One (mutual-aid)
2. Vehicle fires: One (in-district)
funding will not allow for competitive wages and benefits. 3. Brush/Grass Fires: One (mutual-aid)
* Staffing will decrease to such a level that around-the-clock EMS: Total of 32 calls
staffing will no longer be available at both Station 161 in the 1. Medicals: Twenty-four (22 in-district and 2 mutual-aid)
Town of Larkspur, and Station 162 located at 5680 Red Rock 2. MVA’s: Eight (6 in-district and 2 mutual-aid)
Drive. Alarms: Total of 5 calls: Fire alarm system malfunction: Five
* Reliability of fire apparatus and equipment will decrease due (all in-district)
to lack of funding for maintenance, repair and purchasing. Other: Total of 40 calls (39 in-district and 1 mutual aid)
* Safety and efficiency of fixed facilities will decrease due to
lack of funding for maintenance and repair. On behalf of the entire Larkspur Fire Protection District, we
* Recruiting, training, and retaining volunteer firefighters, who thank you for your continued support. Our next scheduled board
currently represent 53 percent of our total staff, will become meeting is Thursday July 12, 2018, 7 p.m. at Station 161.
increasingly difficult with fewer paid personnel to administer a
well-organized training program.

The LFPD Board would greatly appreciate your participation THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THE
in one of our upcoming community outreach meetings to be GALLAGHER ACT AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACT
held at Station 161 located at 9414 S. Spruce Mountain Road ON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS
in Larkspur: Mike Grill...

Saturday, July 7, 2018 at 9 a.m. OUT OF SERVICE. That’s what
Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 7 p.m. fire districts throughout Colorado
Saturday, July 14, 2018 at 9 a.m. face as they confront catastrophic
losses of operating revenues from
Nothing is set in stone at this time. A final decision on placing a major source of funding: property
a measure on this fall’s ballot will not be made until August of taxes.
2018, providing time for additional public input. Thank you in
advance for your thoughts and recommendations. “What?” you ask. “How can this
be?”, knowing your property value has likely increased in
4th of July Celebration Douglas County.
The 4th of July is just around the corner, and Larkspur Fire
Protection District would like everyone to have a safe and en- A brief history lesson is in order here.
joyable holiday. With fireworks as the centerpiece of many cel-
ebrations, the LFPD encourages you to attend one of the many In 1982, Colorado adopted the Gallagher amendment, designed
public displays offered around the area. These displays are free to prevent residential property owners from paying more than
to the viewing public and seem to get better every year! Perry their fair share of property tax dollars. That year the non-resi-
Park Metro District sponsors a great display at the Perry Park dential (commercial) contribution to state property taxes repre-
Country Club site. Castle Rock, Littleton and Englewood have sented 55 percent of total property taxes paid to the state, with
public fireworks displays as well many other communities in non-residential making up the remaining 45 percent So, law-
the Denver and Colorado Springs areas. makers decided that ratio – 55/45 – should become a permanent
part of the amendment.
Please refer to this website for up to date fire restrictions:
http://www.dcsheriff.net/sheriffs-office/divisions/emergen- To maintain the non-residential/residential balance, commercial
cy-management/fire-restrictions property was assessed at a fixed rate of 29 per cent, while the
residential rate was purposely designed to be flexible in order to
Every year around the country there are always horrible ac- adjust downward in periods when residential property increased
cidents and fires started by folks playing with fire works. Let’s in valuation.
not cause injuries, burn up any homes or set the forest and/or
your neighborhood on fire because you just had to have your During the early years of Gallagher, the 55/45 split wasn’t an
own fireworks. Please watch your children, as they are particu- issue. In fact, in the early years, the residential assessed rate
larly susceptible to the dangers that fireworks present. Our fire (RAR) was 21 percent, with the non-residential rate at 29 per-
danger is high this year, so do not ruin your life or destroy your cent. However, as Colorado’s population exploded – especially
community by playing with fireworks. Celebrate our Indepen- along the Front Range – residential building soon overtook
dence Day with pride and responsibility commercial growth, causing an inequity in the 55/45 balances.
In order to maintain the formula, the RAR had to decrease and
Calls for Service Summary – by 2003 – it had, dropping from 21 percent to just 7.96 per-
May 2018 Call Review: cent.
Fires: Total of 3 calls: Continued on page 16
Perry Park Sentinel July 2018 - Page 15