Burning Consequences: How Prop 13 Starves Fire Departments Amid Growing Wildfires
The devastating fires in Los Angeles have once again exposed the dangerous understaffing of fire departments across California, especially in big cities like Oakland and San Jose. With Los Angeles working with 0.9 firefighters per 1,000 residents, Oakland at 1.07, and San Jose at 0.64, these numbers highlight a glaring issue: our firefighters are stretched out too thin. Firefighters put their lives on the line everyday, but without adequate staffing and funding, their ability to protect communities from increasing wildfires is compromised. Mutual aid can only do so much, and when entire regions are burning, local departments must be equipped to handle such crises. We are facing wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters that are continuing to worsen. If leaders refuse to act on combating climate change, then the least they can do is fund emergency responders.
Back in 2020, Prop 15 “Schools and Communities First Funding Act” could have closed corporate loopholes in Prop.13 thus bringing in $12 billion annually for public services, including $1.5 billion for fire departments starting in 2022. Instead of that happening, that money stays with corporations like Chevron and Disney. Next time Prop. 13 reform is on the ballot, let’s put public safety over corporate greed because our survival depends on it!
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong,File
LTE: Will fires be precursor to Prop. 13 reform?
By: Jules Pizano | Mercury News | January 31, 2025