Is Oceano’s fire tax passing or failing? Here are early primary election results
As of the close of election night, it looks as though Oceano’s fire tax may be heading for a second defeat.
With all precincts reporting, only 60.9% of voters said “yes” to the tax, which would help fund emergency and fire services in the South County town.
The property tax requires a two-thirds majority to pass.
The special tax increase is meant to help keep the Oceano Community Services District as a member of the Five Cities Fire Authority. The fire authority in recent years has said it needs more funding to continue offering services to the region, thanks to rising costs and difficulty attracting workers.
Oceano leaders say the CSD’s budget does not allow for it to pay for any increases. Without the tax, the town would likely have to leave the Five Cities Fire Authority.
This is the second time the tax has appeared on Oceano voters’ ballots.
It narrowly failed in March 2020 when it received a majority of the vote, but not the two-thirds vote required.
The election night results are not final. Vote tallies are subject to change over the coming days as the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder’s Office processes more last-minute and provisional ballots.
Official results could take up to early July to be certified.
This story was originally published June 7, 2022 at 8:52 PM.
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