Pasadena Star-News urges a NO vote on Measure PFD.
Public safety first.
Budget priorities matter.
Read the full editorial (opens in a new tab)It’s not an unsavvy moment to ask taxpayers to pay for a better fire department. The memories of the devastating Eaton fire of January 2025, which burned down Pasadena homes as well as the thousands lost in Altadena, are strong in the minds of the citizenry.
But just because it might be smart to strike voters while they are hot doesn’t mean that it’s the right thing to do. When polled about local government, most Americans say that providing for the public safety through police and fire departments is City Hall’s No. 1 priority.
Why, then, does the Pasadena City Council not make it the No. 1 priority when it comes to the city budget? Pay for the best possible FD and PD, and then prioritize everything else in its turn?
That is the question Pasadena voters ought to be asking City Hall. And that is the reason they ought to vote No on Measure PFD in November.
The editorial board’s recommendation to voters
Measure PFD needs approval from two-thirds of voters. The editorial board says few homeowners need another tax bill right now, with a 1,600-square-foot Pasadena home facing about $300 more per year. It urges voters to vote No on PFD and tell City Hall to get its priorities straight.