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Community should support fire ballot initiative
EDITORIAL
The Smithville Area Fire Protection District voters should support a substantial tax levy increase and bond issue at the polls Aug. 5.
The department is asking voters to approve a 60-cent tax levy increase and an $11 million bond issue. The bond issue will cover the cost to build three new stations — strategically placed throughout the 110-square-mile district — and purchase 10 new firefighting apparatuses as well as make improvements to the current station at 341 Park Drive. The tax levy increase will fund the hiring of 15 new firefighters and enhance pay and benefits for staff.
In total, the two items would mean an increase of about 95 to 98 cents per assessed $100 on property taxes. For example, $200,000 of assessed property value would mean you would see an increase of about $360 per year if the two measures pass.
Even though these increases are steep and will cost taxpayers, they are needed. Many residents within this large district are more than six miles from the current station and many upwards of 15 miles away. The addition of the three new stations — one in the northeast, one in the northwest and one in the southeast — will provide for lower ISO ratings and inevitably lower home insurance costs for many homeowners. Also, in the case of an emergency, the lowered response times to homes or businesses could mean the difference between minor and major losses of property and even life and death in some cases.
Additionally, the district is now at minimum staffing — meaning no more than three trained firefighters are on the clock at any given time. In the event of a major emergency or even more than one call within a short period of time, patrons are underserved.
The district is also in financial crisis. If voters do not pass these tax initiatives, at least one full-time firefighter may lose his or her job in next year — reducing service and coverage for all patrons.
Many area fire districts’ total tax marks are well above $1. The current levy in Smithville is .26-cent with a one-half-cent sales tax. They do not have the funds they need to operate a solvent and safe district. However, the fire district Board of Directors should be warned that waiting another significant period of time before asking for an increase when it is needed is not wise. These growth needs should have been handled before now.
Voters need to step up to the plate and open their wallets for the district in order to have the service they deserve. Remaining at this rate of levy with no future facilities is a gamble that many Smithville area residents may not realize they are taking.
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The Smithville Area Fire Protection District voters should support a substantial tax levy increase and bond issue at the polls Aug. 5.
The department is asking voters to approve a 60-cent tax levy increase and an $11 million bond issue. The bond issue will cover the cost to build three new stations — strategically placed throughout the 110-square-mile district — and purchase 10 new firefighting apparatuses as well as make improvements to the current station at 341 Park Drive. The tax levy increase will fund the hiring of 15 new firefighters and enhance pay and benefits for staff.
In total, the two items would mean an increase of about 95 to 98 cents per assessed $100 on property taxes. For example, $200,000 of assessed property value would mean you would see an increase of about $360 per year if the two measures pass.
Even though these increases are steep and will cost taxpayers, they are needed. Many residents within this large district are more than six miles from the current station and many upwards of 15 miles away. The addition of the three new stations — one in the northeast, one in the northwest and one in the southeast — will provide for lower ISO ratings and inevitably lower home insurance costs for many homeowners. Also, in the case of an emergency, the lowered response times to homes or businesses could mean the difference between minor and major losses of property and even life and death in some cases.
Additionally, the district is now at minimum staffing — meaning no more than three trained firefighters are on the clock at any given time. In the event of a major emergency or even more than one call within a short period of time, patrons are underserved.
The district is also in financial crisis. If voters do not pass these tax initiatives, at least one full-time firefighter may lose his or her job in next year — reducing service and coverage for all patrons.
Many area fire districts’ total tax marks are well above $1. The current levy in Smithville is .26-cent with a one-half-cent sales tax. They do not have the funds they need to operate a solvent and safe district. However, the fire district Board of Directors should be warned that waiting another significant period of time before asking for an increase when it is needed is not wise. These growth needs should have been handled before now.
Voters need to step up to the plate and open their wallets for the district in order to have the service they deserve. Remaining at this rate of levy with no future facilities is a gamble that many Smithville area residents may not realize they are taking.
Comments on "Community should support fire ballot initiative"
Comments are limited to 200 words or less.Informed voter wrote on Aug 4, 2008 1:15 PM:
" How will you feel about your vote when even one life is lost that might have been saved. This increase is a small price to pay for adaquate protection. "
Ron Johnson wrote on Jul 22, 2008 3:35 PM:
" Hey Bob Jenkins, I am not a fan of the tax either, but name calling is not the way. What "flunkie" job do you do? "
bob jenkins wrote on Jul 21, 2008 9:02 PM:
" 'com ya'll. jump on board this band wagon to make flunkie' fireman from all over the metro feels' impotant. give 'em some money an they can be cool like the rest of 42's. Keep KC - out vote no aug 5th. "
Concerned wrote on Jul 17, 2008 7:00 PM:
" Doesn't the Police Department need a new station, worse than the fire department? "
Hot feet wrote on Jul 17, 2008 6:11 PM:
" Weren't the last three vehicles they purchased new? ISO ratings will not impact residential homeowners very much at all. Build 4 stations but only man two? The other two are for growth? Rescue boat, PLEASE. The only thing that has happened with the fire department since they hired fulltime employees is constant bickering and fighting, they ran the volunteers off. And what about one of the firefighters making $80,000 last year or the year before, how much more do they need? Why do they need ladder trucks? the highest building is the hospital and its only 3 stories. Why do they need a 700,000 dollar vehicle? No one has died in a house fire in Smithville for at least the last 9-10 years. No More Taxes!!!! "
Cat Lover wrote on Jul 17, 2008 6:02 PM:
" What guarantee do we have that the fire district will be fiscally responsible? Why are they in a financial crisis now? $1.00 per 100 assessed is insane. We did just fine with the former volunteer department, why cant we go back to that. I think they had more members then, than they have now.
Do what the first lady says "JUST SAY NO"! "
Do what the first lady says "JUST SAY NO"! "
Robert Hazlett wrote on Jul 16, 2008 6:22 PM:
" Here we go again. Someone at the paper who probably doesn’t even LIVE in the district writes a LONG editorial about why OUR taxes should be significantly raised, and we get 200 words for a rebuttal.
The fire district proposals are a JOKE. They want to TRIPLE the size of the department in one leap, which means they are just trying to GROW GOVERNMENT, didn’t do proper planning in the past, or most likely, BOTH.
Last year, it was about $300 more a household for the city. This year, it will be $300 for the fire district. Next year, what? The schools? The city, again? Ambulances?
The population is stagnant now. The business climate is tough everywhere. Families are hurting with food prices, gas prices, and other inflation. And the GOVERNMENT (city, fire district, etc.) just wants to hammer us with MORE TAXES. That is the EXACT wrong way to increase revenues for the future. It will only drive more families away and businesses to fail.
How many people have died in fires in this district in the last 5 or 10 years? One? Two? Maybe ZERO? Funny – I haven’t seen those stats anywhere. "
The fire district proposals are a JOKE. They want to TRIPLE the size of the department in one leap, which means they are just trying to GROW GOVERNMENT, didn’t do proper planning in the past, or most likely, BOTH.
Last year, it was about $300 more a household for the city. This year, it will be $300 for the fire district. Next year, what? The schools? The city, again? Ambulances?
The population is stagnant now. The business climate is tough everywhere. Families are hurting with food prices, gas prices, and other inflation. And the GOVERNMENT (city, fire district, etc.) just wants to hammer us with MORE TAXES. That is the EXACT wrong way to increase revenues for the future. It will only drive more families away and businesses to fail.
How many people have died in fires in this district in the last 5 or 10 years? One? Two? Maybe ZERO? Funny – I haven’t seen those stats anywhere. "