Excerpts from the rrstar.com:
Fire districts are looking at tight budgets and possible service cutbacks after voters rejected three tax increase proposals on Tuesday.
The North Park Fire Protection District asked voters to approve a property tax increase to pay for replacements for aging equipment — a $17,000 expense. The measure was rejected by 56 percent of voters. The increase, had it been approved, would have resulted in a $33.33 property tax increase over 12 months for a home valued at $100,000.
The defeat of the referendum means that North Park Fire may curtail fire assistance to ambulances on emergency calls. North Park Fire also may postpone a planned consolidation on a donated 2-acre site that’s more centrally located within the three districts it serves.
The New Milford Fire Protection District also asked for a property tax increase to pay for new equipment. The increase would have resulted in a $32 annual tax increase on a home valued at $100,000. It was rejected by nearly 61 percent of voters. New Milford’s fire operations haven’t seen a tax increase since the 1980s, and the budget has had to account for rising equipment costs.
The Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District sought a tax increase to pay future pension costs. The measure would have resulted in a $1.72 annual property tax increase for the owner of a $100,000 home. It was rejected by 57 percent of the voters.
#1 by J. C. on November 11, 2018 - 10:07 AM
The Harlem Roscoe proposal was to create and fund a pension fund. However they currently have no full time firefighters so that is most likely why it was rejected. The North Park rejection will cause the biggest change. They are a volunteer fire department with 3 POP during the the day M-F that’s runs upwards of 1800 calls a year on a 700,000 budget. There residents will see changes that will not be for the better and at no fault of the members or leadership who scrap everything last penny out of their budget as it is
#2 by Cmk420 on November 10, 2018 - 11:05 PM
Same old story–people would like to have adequate fire and EMS protection, but are not willing to pay for it. Mismanagement or not, it’s still not right.
#3 by Mike on November 10, 2018 - 8:24 PM
Am I reading the Harlem roscoe part correctly? $1.72 per 100,000.00 of value? You have to be kidding me, stupid idiots. You probably spend more on Starbucks in 1 day then this would cost you.