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What is ballot initiative 5B? How will it impact me?
Posted: 10.17.2012 at 9:46 PM
Rachel Welte

Rachel Welte is the Weekend News Anchor and a General Assignment Reporter.

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 / FOX21: Kurt Story
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SECURITY, COLO. -- As the election nears, we are taking a look at some of the ballot initiatives you will be voting on in November.

Initiative 5B is a proposed mill levy increase in the Security-Widefield area.

If approved, the money would be used to hire additional full-time firefighters to staff the Security Fire Protection District.

It has been two weeks since a fire swept through a home in Widefield killing a 64-year-old woman.

The Security Fire Protection District said the first crew that arrived on scene, consisted of one firefighter and a truck.

"We do send two or three trucks on a structure fire, but you have to keep in mind they still only have one firefighter on it," Jesse Gianino, firefighter with the Security Fire Department, said.

In 2011, Gianino said his district responded to 3,200 calls for service.

Compare that to 1990 when the district responded to only 900 calls for service.

Despite the increase, he said the department is currently staffed with the same number of paid personnel as in 1990.

"We do have volunteers, so 90% of the time we do have one paid firefighter on a truck because volunteers do have their own jobs and priorities to take care of," Gianino said.

Firefighters said the lack of staff is severely hampering their ability to provide the safest, and most reliable service to the community.

If passed, they said the money will be used to increase personnel, and nothing else.

"The way you have to look at it is if you were to call for an emergency on a loved on, do you want only one firefighter doing CPR on that person," Gianino said. "Two is also safety for our firefighters when we are on a structure fire."

This is not the first time Security Fire has asked for a mill levy increase.

They were turned down in the past, although this time around it appears many voters are in favor of 5B.

"If it is helping things, I am usually in favor of it, as long as it is not to drastic an increase," Melissa Burton said.

"I know a lot of people are concerned about Amendment 64, but this seems more important in my opinion," Eric Burton said.

To break it down, if passed, 5B would directly add about $28 for each $100,000 in assessed property.

That is roughly $2.33 per household, per month.

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