Richmond voters back Measure Q, paving the way for fire station repairs

Richmond voters have approved Measure Q, a $120 million bond measure that will raise property taxes to repair, replace and reconstruct Richmond’s aging fire stations and emergency-response facilities. 

Years of deferred maintenance at the city’s seven fire stations have led to mold, leaky roofs, faulty alerting systems, and seismic deficiencies. Many of those stations are decades old, and firefighters say they no longer meet the needs of a modern emergency-response system, putting both their health and the city’s safety at risk. 

Measure Q authorizes the city to issue up to $120 million in bonds for the needed upgrades and repairs. The money to pay back the bonds, plus interest accrued over time, is estimated to be just under $250 million, according to Richmond Finance Director Emily Combs. That sum will come out of taxpayers’ pockets in the form of property tax the city estimates will increase taxes by an average of $22.15 per $100,000 of assessed value per year until 2060. 

The owner of a single-family home assessed at $650,000, for example, will pay an estimated average of about $144 annually in taxes. 

As of Tuesday, the last day Contra Costa County could accept ballots postmarked by Election Day, Measure Q had received about 22,000 votes, 70% of the ballots cast. Votes are unofficial until certified in early December. The measure requires two-thirds of the vote to pass.

With only about 7,500 uncounted votes left across the entire county, Richmond Firefighters Local 188 declared victory for the measure. 

“I’m excited that we were able to get this thing through the finish line,” said union President Marcus Faumui. “We beat, I would say, the overwhelming odds of this not passing.” 

Rebuilding three stations

Polling of Richmond voters in the lead up to the election never hit the two-thirds majority needed, with support for the ballot measure falling from 65% in a May survey to 54% in July.

“They said to be able to make up that many points is impossible,” Faumui said. “I had several people tell me this wasn’t going to pass.” 

Faumui attributes the win to a collaborative effort between firefighters, small businesses and Richmond community members.  

“We’re ingrained in this community. We have a lot of people who are from Richmond, including myself,” Faumui said. “I think the relationship that’s been cultivated well before I got here has just paid off.” 

Faumui expects most of the proceeds to go toward rebuilding the three stations with the highest need: Station 66 (on Clinton Avenue in the North & East neighborhood), Station 67 (on Cutting Boulevard, south of the Iron Triangle) and Station 63 (on Valley View Road in May Valley). 

The city is not obligated to issue the full amount. If it does, Faumui expects the revenue will be enough that every station will undergo some repair. 

Residents will oversee fund

Proceeds are restricted to the acquisition and improvement of Fire Department property and cannot be put toward other municipal purposes. The City Council will retain discretion over individual projects and will appoint an oversight committee of Richmond residents to monitor expenditures.

Richmond’s finance director will file an annual report to City Council monitoring the status of approved projects, and all expenditures will be subject to a yearly independent financial audit. 

With the campaign phase over, Faumui has shifted his attention to planning and executing the repairs. 

“I just got off a meeting with my executive membership,” he said. “Now I have to integrate myself into this and figure out what’s the next steps to ensure this gets done.” 

(Top photo of Station 63 photo, courtesy of Richmond Firefighters Local 188)

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UPDATE: Election results counted Friday show Jiménez still leading for Richmond mayor, no major changes in returns from El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole, San Pablo