South Placer County voters to decide on Measure B parcel tax to fund fire district

Voters in Granite Bay and Loomis will decide Tuesday whether to approve a new parcel tax to help fund fire and emergency medical services in the South Placer Fire Protection District.

Measure B would establish a $375 annual tax on single-family residential parcels and is projected to generate approximately $5.75 million annually for the district.

The measure requires approval from at least two-thirds of voters to pass. If approved, collection of the new tax would begin in July 2027.

The South Placer Fire Department has struggled with staffing shortages, rising operating costs and the loss of two fire stations, which closed in 2022 due to funding challenges.

Chief Darin Snedeker has warned that without additional revenue, the district could face further station closures, which could then increase response times for fire and medical emergencies.

Supporters say Measure B would help the district attract and retain emergency responders, improve emergency response capabilities and reopen those closed stations. The proposal would establish a more uniform funding system for Granite Bay and Loomis, where residents currently pay different taxes and assessments for fire services.

Opponents of the measure question whether the district needs additional tax revenue and how its current funding is being managed.