A proposed fire tax is also going to be front and center at the next Nevada City City Council meeting, which is Wednesday evening, as they go back to the schedule of holding meetings the first and third Wednesdays of the month. The Council will hear previous recommendations from the Fire Safe Advisory Committee and get community stakeholder input. The city is also looking at placing the measure on the March Primary ballot, like Grass Valley. Grass Valley would make it a general sales tax increase, which requires majority approval. But Committee member and Councilman, Lou Cici, says Nevada City has historically preferred a special tax that has a two-thirds threshhold. He says it ensures a specific use from the revenue and stays out of the general fund…

click to listen to Lou Cici

At the meeting, the Council will review the unfunded fuels mitigation expenses identified recently in the City’s Capital Improvement program…

click to listen to Lou Cici

Cici says the measure would also provide a more stable funding source for wildfire prevention measures. The Council will consider if a tax would be an appropriate source. Cici says it would likely be a half-percent increase, which is what Grass Valley is also looking at putting before voters.