Excerpts from MySuburbanLife.com:
The Geneva-based law firm Griffin William LLP is preparing revamped language for the Fox River and Countryside Fire/Rescue District’s tax levy increase request. It possibly could be used on the March 15 primary ballot, said Jim Gaffney, the district’s board president.
Board members at their next meeting Monday plan to review and discuss the language legal counsel have prepared if it is ready by that time. The public meeting will begin no earlier than 7 p.m. Monday in the district’s Station 3, 34W500 Carl Lee Road, St. Charles, or immediately after the conclusion of a 6:30 p.m. special meeting if it runs long.
The district wants to propose that its current tax rate increase over time from about 28 cents – 28 cents per $100 of assessed valuation – to 51 cents, Gaffney said. The increase still would leave the fire district with one of the lower rates in the area.
Voters defeated the district’s previous rate hike request by a 3-1 margin in April, according to election records. The district has not replaced three full-time firefighter/paramedics who left to work elsewhere, leaving a total of 21 firefighters. Gaffney said the district also has had to move up a reserve fire engine to active status because it is deferring equipment replacement.
An approved referendum would allow the district to buy more equipment and pay its firefighters higher wages since they are paid less relative to other area districts, Gaffney said.
“If we don’t get the referendum passed in March, there’s going to be more cutbacks to the fire department,” Gaffney said.
The district serves 25,000 residents across 38 square miles that include Wayne, Campton Hills and St. Charles Township.
The full series of posts on this topic can be found HERE
