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Carbondale Fire is a small but mighty

department that protects and serves

your neighborhood and 300 total

square miles of rugged terrain made

up of private property, wild land, and

federally managed lands. We provide

fire protection, advanced

emergency medical treatment,

medical transport, backcountry

and technical rescue, swiftwater

rescue, hazardous materials

response, as well as education and

community services. We respond to

and support our neighboring

communities and their emergencies.

Your Fire District does all this and more with a small paid staff of 26 and a volunteer force of 35 dedicated

and talented individuals from five stations in our District. To learn more visit www.carbondalefire.org

CARBONDALE FIRE BY THE NUMBERS 26 Paid Firefighters & Paramedics | 35 Dedicated Volunteers | 5 Stations | 300 Square Miles |

24 hours per day | 7 Days per Week | 365 Days per Year

OUR MISSION To serve the communities within the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection

District and help create a safer environment through the provision of quality emergency

services, public education, and prevention programs with a professional dedicated force

of volunteers and paid staff.

www.carbondalefire.org

Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District

300 Meadowood Drive

Carbondale, CO 81623

West End –

Station 84 Missouri Heights – Station 85

Redstone –

Station 82

Marble –

Station 83

Carbondale – Station 81

DISTRICT SERVICES:

• Fire Protection

• Advanced Emergency Medical Treatment

• Medical Transportation

• Backcountry & Technical Rescue

• Hazardous Materials Response

• Swiftwater Rescue

• Public Education

• Community Service

This Factual Summary is authorized by the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act., C.R.S. § 1‐45‐117

This Factual Summary is authorized by the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act., C.R.S. § 1‐45‐117

County clerks will mail a ballot to all registered voters in the Fire District during the week of October 12, 2020.

Property owners that do not live in the Fire District and are eligible voters in Colorado will receive a letter advising

how to request a ballot.

CARBONDALE & RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BALLOT ISSUE 7B:

SHALL CARBONDALE AND RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BE AUTHORIZED TO INCREASE OR DECREASE ITS CURRENT AND ALL FUTURE MILL LEVIES IF, ON OR AFTER NOVEMBER 3, 2020, THERE ARE CHANGES IN THE METHOD OF CALCULATING ASSESSED VALUATION OF ONE OR MORE PROPERTY CLASS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A CHANGE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF ACTUAL VALUATION USED TO DETERMINE RESIDENTIAL ASSESSED VALUATION DUE TO ARTICLE X SECTION 3 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE GALLAGHER AMENDMENT) OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON SUCH AS ACTION BY THE LEGISLATURE, SO THAT, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, THE ACTUAL TAX REVENUES GENERATED BY SUCH VOTER-APPROVED MILL LEVIES ARE THE SAME AS THE ACTUAL TAX REVENUES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN GENERATED HAD SUCH CHANGES NOT OCCURRED?

A YES vote on ballot question 7B will allow the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District to maintain the level of funding that

was approved by voters in 2018. Maintaining the current level of funding is vital for CRFPD’s ability to maintain needed

emergency response staffing levels, Continue and improve delivery of high-quality training to all members, and continue to

rapidly respond to medical emergencies, wildfires, rescue calls and building fires 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These service

standards require training, certification and the provision of appropriate equipment and supplies to adequately meet the needs

of our community.

BALLOT ISSUE 7B

STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF BALLOT ISSUE 7B:

STATEMENTS AGAINST BALLOT ISSUE 7B:

Without this request, the District will experience a decline in revenues resulting in: ● Extended response time for fire and ambulance

calls ● Further delayed equipment replacement ● Potential reduction of paid staff ● Elimination of community education programs

such as CPR classes and fire safety education programs

● Elimination of initial attack wildfire program ● Reduced open burning regulation ● Reduction in critical training ● Medical Services will likely be reduced – immediate

response of fully certified paramedic services may not be sustainable on all shifts.

Voting YES on 7B will allow: ● The Fire District to continue to maintain current

funding levels that were approved by voters in the 2018 election.

● The Fire District to continue its successful seasonal staffing and wildland fire response programs.

● The Fire District to continue to serve a 300-square mile area with 15,000 permanent residents.

● The Fire District to continue a turn-out time of 4 minutes for Ambulance calls.

● The Fire District to respond with Paramedic Level Service on concurrent calls.

● The Fire District to continue implementing changes

from the master plan.

Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District was able to lower its ISO Rating to a 3 (based on District’s response abilities), thus reducing fire insurance premiums. The District also refinanced the existing bonds to save taxpayers money. Please Vote YES on Ballot Question 7B

No comments were filed by the constitutional deadline.

This Factual Summary is authorized by the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act., C.R.S. § 1‐45‐117

This Factual Summary is authorized by the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act., C.R.S. § 1‐45‐117

FROM THE CHIEF: Our District and community suffered the long-lasting effects of a very active, dangerous and serious wildfire season. During just the months of May, June, July, and August, we responded to 15 wildland fire calls, including the massive Lake Christine Fire. Additionally, from May through August, we responded to 552 calls for service including 175 medical emergencies, 35 motor vehicle accidents, and supported 60 special events (parades, graduation, football games, etc). Since 2014, emergency calls have increased by 15%. In 2017 we responded to over 1200 calls for service. 2018 is on pace to exceed that number. CRFPD’s hardworking crews train, prepare and respond throughout the year in order to offer a consistently high standard of care to any and all emergencies. I am grateful for their dedication to excellence that has once again been shown this year. We have a truly great group of folks protecting us in the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District. Rob Goodwin

Rob Goodwin, Fire Chief

RESIDENTIAL ASSESSMENT RATE ENACTED INTO LAW

Tax Year(s) Rate Prior to 1983 30%

1983 to 1986 21%

1987 18%

1988 16%

1989 – 1990 15%

1991 – 1992 14.34%

1993 – 1994 12.86%

1995 – 1996 10.36%

1997 – 2000 9.74%

2001 – 2002 9.15%

2003 – 2016 7.96%

2017 – 2018 7.20%

2019 – 2020 7.15%

Due to the impact of the Gallagher Amendment, anticipated impacts of the budget reduction

include: Extended response times to emergencies,

including medical calls and wildfires.

Eliminating the summer Initial Attack Wildfire Program.

Reduction in critical training for 9-1-1 responders

Possible reduction of paramedic level service on 9-1-1 calls

Elimination of community education

programs, including CPR classes and fire safety education programs.

BALLOT QUESTION 7B CRFPD wants to sustain the amount of 2018 voter approved revenues and current service levels

regardless of state‐imposed adjustments caused by growth impacts outside of the fire district. CRFPD is

seeking a local solution to this statewide issue.

If Ballot Question 7B is approved by voters

this ballot question will only take effect if

the Statewide “de-Gallagherization”

question (Amendment B) does not pass.

If Ballot Question 7B passes, CRFPD

cannot raise the RAR over the current 7.15%

without a new vote.

Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District Ballot Issue 7B

Revenue Stabilization (a.k.a. de-Gallagher)

DID YOU KNOW THAT

Residential property owners in Colorado do not pay

property taxes on 100% of their home's value?

Residential property owners pay property taxes on

only a percentage of their home's property value,

called the "residential assessment rate", or "RAR". The

Gallagher Amendment requires the percentage of

property taxes paid by residential property owners in

the State to be 45% of the total property taxes paid.

The Gallagher Amendment also set the commercial

assessment rate at 29%.

To maintain the required 45/55 ratio, the RAR for

residential properties has to decline as residential

properties become a larger part of all property in the

state. In odd years, the Colorado Legislature is

required to set the RAR at a level that will maintain the

45% tax share required by the Gallagher Amendment.

If the RAR drops to the expected 5.1% in 2021, this will

reduce Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District’s

property tax revenue over $768,000.

Due to the explosion of Front Range residential

development, the Statewide Gallagher

adjustments have decreased the RAR in every

reassessment period since 2017, with another

decrease projected in 2021. This decline has

reduced property taxes collected by local

governments, particularly in mountain and rural

communities where there is relatively less

commercial development. CRFPD will

particularly affected as 88% of all property is

residential. This reduction could force CRFPD to

reduce basic services and not continue to

implement the Master Plan of 2015, so CRFPD

can stay within the amounts of approved tax

revenues.

IMPACT OF DECLINING RESIDENTIAL

ASSESSMENT RATE ON CRFPD

The Residential Assessment Rate is projected to drop

in 2021 from its current level of 7.15% to 5.1%, an 18%

decrease that will cause CRFPD property tax revenue

to drop by over $768,000 in 2022.

CURRENT FUNDING CRFPD voters approved a funding level in 2018, but the effects of the Gallagher Amendment will reduce that amount over 76%, almost negating

the revenues that were approved by District voters in 2018. Because the District can only

impose property taxes, it has limited ability to make‐up this loss in operating revenue.