Voters Will Determine Future of Fire Department
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After months of debate between firefighters and city leaders, the city’s voters will go to the polls today to decide whether the Los Angeles County Fire Protection District should take over the Alhambra Fire Department.
The measure, placed on the ballot by the Alhambra Firefighters Assn. and resident Jessica Wong, has bitterly divided local allegiances as firefighters and city management have argued over which agency would provide better service.
City Manager Julio Fuentes and council members have accused the firefighters of being motivated by greed because county firefighters are paid significantly more than Alhambra firefighters. City officials warn that if the city switched over, it would lose control of costs.
Firefighters cite a 1980s study showing that county service would be cheaper. They also note that every city that has turned firefighting over to the county has saved money. In recent months, Covina, El Monte and Lynwood have joined the county service. Last week, voters in West Covina overwhelmingly rejected such a switch.
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