City of Fortuna Hosts Election in November

City of Fortuna BlurThe Fortuna City Council will have two open positions on the ballot, this coming November 8th, 2016.  Also on the ballot, is the proposed Fortuna Police & Essential Services Measure, which will be listed as the following:

To protect and maintain essential City services, including increasing and restoring police officers and programs, repairing aging/deteriorating streets and potholes, parks maintenance, and programs for youth and seniors, shall the City of Fortuna establish a ¾¢ sales tax, sun setting in 8 years providing approximately $1,200,000 annually, requiring independent annual financial audits and a Community Oversight Committee, with all funds remaining in Fortuna?

Per the City of Fortuna website, those interested in open Council Member seats can obtain election information from Fortuna City Hall at 621 – 11th Street, Fortuna, California or online at www.friendlyfortuna.com.  The filing period for nomination papers is July 18, 2016, 8:00 AM to August 12, 2016, 5:00 PM.  If an incumbent does not file nomination papers, the filing period will be extended five days until 5:00 PM August 17, 2016. Nomination papers must be filed at the Fortuna City Hall with the City Clerk. Appointments are Strongly encouraged.

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ikickittoyou
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ikickittoyou
7 years ago

The people of Fortuna need to pay attention to what the city council is doing. A couple of years back, they tried and failed to pass a sales tax to help pay the city to have events and help local businesses. They didn’t go into detail on how the tax would help them though. I had a 45 minute conversation with a councilman who was phone canvasing prior to election day. Great discussion, but nothing he told me swayed my opinion that sales tax must not be used to support business needs.

The next year Fortuna VFD ramrodded a tax with a weighted ballot just weeks before an actual election so they could raise property tax to expand the the department as well as pay the “volunteers” stipend. What it amounts to is a loophole to pay young aspiring firefighter less than minimum wage. It is a shame that the people of Fortuna approved this. It is a moral crime that the city council hired a consultant to make this happen. They need to be held accountable for this. I hope none of those brave souls get hurt helping us for less than minimum wage. I’m OK with paying more taxes, but we should have a paid department that pays these brave men and women a living wage and benefits.

Recently, national chains have come into Fortuna and opened stores. What tax breaks did they get to come here? What are they paying the residents of Fortuna to work there? How is cheap stuff helping the community if many of its employees live in poverty. How much of their revenue is being extracted from the community? I’m questioning why we still need raise the sales tax when they seem to be doing very well. How long before we lose a supermarket? We had a market in downtown Fortuna that turned into a big liquor store. What good is that doing us?

If taxes need to be raised, it needs to be raised on everything. Not just the back of the consumers.

Crime stopper
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Crime stopper
7 years ago
Reply to  ikickittoyou

The 2014 tax increase attempt cost the city $25k+ from the general fund. Sort a like going to Bear River to gamble and maybe win. The consulting firm didn’t plan on having the HCTP League challenge the credibility of the tax and help cause its loss.
The last 3 budgets have been in the red ($250K average)due to the theft of Fortuna’s redevelopment fund (which was used to keep it in the “black” for 5 years). Governor Moonbeam’s taking of all City’s and County’s redevelopment funds amounted to $2.4 billion dollars. He and the (your) Sacramento politicians are the cause for Fortuna’s whoos.
Your second subject is the Fortuna Fire department. Prior to the tax assessment, they spent $350k on building improvements. Work done wasn’t put out to bid, but done by firemen. How did they get past the City permits and code enforcement? Makes you wonder. The cheap 4th world wages paid are an insult to the wanna-be firemen and yes they will have to be responding and exposing themselves to all of the elements of fire/emt/accidents/etc. Are you going to get cheap performance with cheap labor? The bonus is Free lodging-whoppee!!!!
Your third subject are national chains coming to Fortuna. The city needs sales tax and yes its
important. It goes into the general fund. Grocery Outlet went where Trader Joes had been footprinted. Looks to be a success so far for everyone. Dollar General got special treatment for sure so you were right. However the location sucks! And the homeless love it for “break and snatch” your car’s belongings (as the grape vine says on a regular basis).
No one is going to get a “liveable wage” and I’m tired of hearing that Democrat socialist garbage.
The upcoming 0.75 cent tax is touted to be paid predominantly by the tourists/visitors. So “go ahead and pass it and we’ll find out what’s inside later”.
November’s election mary jane will pass and we can all get stoned together and forget all this trivial stuff. Live on and prosper.

Who
Guest
Who
7 years ago

50 percent plus one and its passed done deal even Fortuna has enough uneducated voters to pass this one .

hope
Guest
hope
7 years ago

The ramrodded ballot, true,, the citizens of Fortuna,,should have read and listened to what was printed in the newspaper and listened to people who knew (from the inside) of the Fortuna Fire Dept.’s – most likely illegal voting. I call it an in house election,,, all handled by the Fire Chief, and his fireman ( or women ) — instead of doing it correctly and going thru the elections
office. This is not a fair election -do you think? So The League of Women’s Voters–hoping to make it legal were summoned to count the ballots. Then should all of our elections go this way? Let’s by pass the elections office…
So many ballots were mailed out,, but how many came back?
We citizens are not suppose to know how much money they already have. That is a no-no..so who is footing their extravaganza… They keep wanting more and more.
Now we receive in the mail their plea for contributions– on top of the assessment tax.

The fire dept., in the past has done a good job… what is happening now is very questionable, a fire dept. that was run by volunteer’s… where are they now and why. Is it because of the actions of the higher uppers- The loyalty,trust could be gone or going because the actions of a few (who want more money in their pocket’s) from us, the citizens.., and are constantly lying thru their teeth. could they be doing something questionable,,, and wanting us to pay for it?

Now, we are being asked by the city to pay more taxes, after they let the fire dept. tax go thru. . So who needs it most, and where are we to get this money–are we not still trying to recover from the depression.

Ive heard of taxation without representation…

Crime stopper
Guest
Crime stopper
7 years ago

You can’t stop STUPID! We just have more in our town than the others and the fire people took advantage. As for a public’s final message-send NO money for the annual drive.

fooled again
Guest
fooled again
7 years ago

ramrodded, yes. The citizens of Fortuna will figure out quite fast how they were played a fool by their $80,000 per year paid fire chief, when they receive their property tax bills soon. Their Annual drive money does not go to half of what the letter says it does. 69 members, I call BS! the membership is dropping like flies. Moral is at a all time low. Their paid volunteer shift program is a complete failure. I ask how many days a week the station is staffed? It was all false hope promised by the fire chief. Those that supported him and the volunteer program don’t want to have anything to do with making $4.16 per hour now! At their June 2015 meeting, their investor group arrived to tell those in attendance that $100,000.00 had just been discovered in an account that was formed many years ago by past chiefs, where is that money now? Why should the citizens of Fortuna pay for a one million dollar ladder truck? I ask the fire chief to truly update his department roster soon so the citizens of fortuna can really see how many “real” firemen they have, Oh don’t forget to delete the “support” firefighters that don;t really do anything, then lets see what the firefighter count really is? 69 will soon drop to about 40+

Crime stopper
Guest
Crime stopper
7 years ago
Reply to  fooled again

Great comments. Rumor from a good source also states there’s $3,000,000.00 in another secret account no one is supposed to know about. If this is true, then why the need for a larger tax assessment?
The promise of a new Campton Heights station was a trick to get the 1000+ homeowners to vote for the triple increase. It’ll never be built.
The new property taxes will be sent out in Aug/Sept. so enjoy what you foolishly approved for 30 years.

fooled again
Guest
fooled again
7 years ago

the first thing the fire chief did upon the passing of the “fire tax” was promote his district secretary to a full-time paid position. How much does this person get paid per year? Many within the department & community are upset that this new position was not listed or advertised for others to apply Why is that? The hidden agenda continues. Its time for the lies to end !!

Crime stopper
Guest
Crime stopper
7 years ago

Kym-where’s coverage on Fortuna’s final election results? It ended yesterday at 5pm

Kym Kemp
Admin
7 years ago
Reply to  Crime stopper

News stories keep pouring in. I’m a little..no a lot…behind.