Sutter County confronts CSAF fire funding gap; staff and chiefs urge citizen tax option and short‑term fixes

Sutter County staff told the Board of Supervisors that County Service Area F (CSAF) — the special district providing fire services in parts of the county — faces an unsustainable funding gap because its property‑based tax has remained essentially flat while salaries and benefits have risen.

Staff said CSAF was set up in 1996 as a self‑supporting special district funded by benefit assessments and a later property assessment; however, the tax base has not grown materially while operating costs have. Staff quantified the local shortfall in different ways: the sheriff’s office estimated patrol costs in a taxed area (Beat 6/7) at about $1.3 million while the tax exchange payment received was about $500,000, creating an annual shortfall in the range of $800,000 to $1.0 million for that policing exchange. For CSAF specifically, staff estimated the district could finish the year with a modest surplus but that, combined with its fund balance, the district has roughly $901,000 of flexibility for FY25–26 while the CSAF budget request is $1,450,000 — leaving an estimated gap of about $550,000.

Staff and interim fire leadership, including Interim Chief Daley, described a set of near‑ and longer‑term options. Short‑term possibilities included accepting Sutter Point developers’ offer to fund six limited‑term firefighter positions for one year to cover immediate staffing needs (staff cautioned this “kicks the can down the road”), providing limited county bridge funding from an internal public safety cushion, intermittent station closures or relying on volunteers on a rotating basis (staff warned single‑person staffing and station closures raise worker‑compensation and response‑time risks). Staff said contributing Proposition 172 funds to CSAF would create fairness and general fund holes and was not recommended.

Several supervisors and the interim fire chief expressed support for pursuing a citizens’ property tax measure targeted to CSAF so that revenue would be directed to fire services; staff said the county could provide logistical support for a citizen‑led measure but could not promote it. The timeline discussed indicated a property tax measure, if pursued, would likely take at least a year from passage to produce revenue; consultants cited by staff estimated realistic revenue onset could be the year after passage. Interim Chief Daley also urged pursuing grants (AFG, SAFER) and longer‑term consolidation or a countywide strategic plan for fire services.

The board took no formal action at the study session. Staff presented the options, including a possible citizens’ initiative and short‑term offers from developers, and asked for board direction to continue exploring those options and return with formal proposals.