County OKs $13.99 Tax for Fire Protection to Avert Station Closures : Supervisors: Board’s action affects 48 cities and unincorporated areas. Owners of apartments will be charged up to $561 on fall bills.

Los Angeles County supervisors Thursday approved a $13.99-a-year fire protection tax on 2.7 million residents in 48 cities and unincorporated areas in order to avert cuts in the county Fire Department.

“I don’t see someone losing their home because they have to pay another dollar and a few cents a month,” said Supervisor Ed Edelman. The board approved the tax by a 4-0 vote with Supervisor Mike Antonovich abstaining.

Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman warned that, without the $15.3 million that the new tax would add to the Consolidated Fire Protection District’s $266-million budget, five fire stations would be closed and three engine companies would be eliminated.

Freeman said that the “benefit assessment” would allow the department to fill 48 firefighter positions left vacant in January because of budget problems.

The assessment will add $13.99 to the fall property tax bills of single-family homes. Depending on building size, apartment owners will be charged up to $561 and commercial building owners up to $1,176. The tax can be increased at any time by the supervisors.

Although Proposition 13, passed by voters in 1978, limits property taxes, state law allows local agencies to form assessment districts for specific services, such as fire prevention, flood control, roads and schools.

In 1987, the supervisors also proposed a fire tax but backed down in the face of public opposition.

On Thursday, only about 75 homeowners showed up for the board meeting to protest the proposed tax, and they were orderly.

Before entering the chamber, they were presented with a copy of the “Rules of the Board of Supervisors,” which include a prohibition on “all demonstrations, including cheering, yelling, whistling, hand clapping and foot stomping.”

Richard B. Dixon, the county’s chief administrative officer, attributed the lack of opposition to “a new, savvier fire chief” who explained the need for the tax to city councils, chambers of commerce and editorial boards of newspapers.

Freeman said the cause also was aided by recent publicity about the near death of a Hollywood woman that was attributed to budget cuts in the Los Angeles City Fire Department.

In speaking out against the tax, Antonovich said that the fire district, as a property-related service, should receive some of the property taxes now going to county health and welfare programs. He also suggested that the county charge for paramedic calls.

“We just had the state impose additional taxes,” he said. “Where does it stop?”

Edelman argued that if the county diverted property taxes collected countywide to the fire district, it would be “legally questionable and morally wrong” to cities that have their own fire service.

Supervisor Gloria Molina said they had no choice but to approve the tax because the board rejected her pleas during budget deliberations earlier this week to spend more time scrutinizing the $12-billion county spending plan.

Supervisors Deane Dana and Kenneth Hahn also voted for the assessment.