Many Chester property owners recently received a $442.50 surprise on their Plumas County tax bills. Local officials confirm it is not a mistake, but rather the property owners’ share for fire protection and emergency services provided by the Peninsula Fire Protection District.
The new tax follows a multi-year effort to stabilize emergency services in the area. Peninsula Fire has covered Chester’s fire and emergency calls since March 2024, following the operational collapse of the Chester Fire Protection District. The two entities officially merged in December 2024 after the Plumas County Local Agency Formation Commission unanimously approved the annexation of Chester’s service territory into Peninsula Fire.
Delayed Tax Implementation Takes Effect
The $442.50 annual fee for improved parcels (and $394.50 for unimproved parcels) was original approved by Lake Almanor Peninsula voters back in 2021. Following the merger, the voter-approved special tax expanded across the entire combined service area.
Although annexation occurred in late 2024, state-level approval timelines with the California Board of Equalization delayed the tax collection until this year.
“That was frustrating,” said Peninsula Fire Chief Robert Gray regarding the administrative delay, noting that tax revenues are expected to reach the district by January. In addition to this fee, Chester property owners continue to pay a $95 special assessment per improved parcel originally approved by voters in 2007, which carries no sunset date.
Local leadership emphasized that the tax should not catch residents off guard. Cheryl Johnson, who has worked with both fire districts, noted that community outreach—including a Lake Almanor Chamber of Commerce town hall and direct notification letters—was conducted to inform residents ahead of time.
Financial Struggles and Next Steps
The annexation resolved years of deep financial trouble for the former Chester department, which had struggled for nearly a decade. Prior to its closure, the district carried $1.8 million in debt to the local sewer district, alongside millions in unfunded pension liabilities. After Chester voters rejected three separate revenue-raising ballot measures between November 2023 and May 2024, the department officially ceased fire protection services, leaving municipal water and sewer operations under the Chester Public Utility District.
Extending the special tax to Chester properties is expected to generate approximately $616,000 annually, with ambulance billing projected to bring in an additional $300,000.
According to Chief Gray, this vital revenue will cover services Peninsula Fire has provided without sustainable compensation and will fund the hiring of six new full-time employees to ensure the Chester fire station is staffed around the clock.
