Covina : No Fire Assessment District

The City Council on Monday scrapped its plans to create a fire assessment district after hundreds of residents and business owners filed protests against the tax.

On April 10, a majority of Covina voters supported an advisory ballot measure on the citywide tax, which would have cost the average household $72 annually, generating $1.67 million a year for city services.

But at least 81 business owners and at least 239 residents registered their opposition to the proposed tax before Monday’s public hearing, Assistant City Clerk Sandy Cardiff said. Because they represented more than 5% of the revenue the city would have collected, the tax would have had to be resubmitted to voters. It would have required a two-thirds vote for passage, Cardiff said.

Councilwoman Chris Richardson said she was disappointed with the opposition but thought that a new election would be too expensive. Cardiff said an election would cost about $22,000.