fire district asks for more money again

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

The sixth time was not the charm for Fox River and Countryside Fire/Rescue District officials who were seeking a tax increase. Unofficial results Tuesday show voters narrowly defeated the tax hike request by just nine votes; 951 against the measure to 942 in favor of it. Final tallies won’t be certified for a few weeks to ensure all mail-in ballots were received.

Fire district officials estimated the owner of a $250,000 home would have paid an additional $135 a year in property taxes if it had passed. The new rate would have generated roughly $1.1 million additional property tax revenue for the district, Chief John Nixon said.

Requests for a property tax hike also failed in 2006, 2009, 2015, 2017 and 2018.

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Excerpts from the kcchronicle.com:

Officials at the Fox River and Countryside Fire Protection District are hoping voters will approve their latest referendum request for a nearly 17-cent tax increase April 2.

The referendum asks to increase the rate to 43.52 cents per $100 equalized assessed valuation from the fire district’s current tax rate of 26.7 cents, an increase of 16.82 cents. A single family house with a fair market value of $100,000 would have an additional $56 in taxes to pay, if it passes. The increase would bring in about $1.5 million in additional revenue, which the district needs.

The district’s last request for a 16-cent increase failed in November by 32 votes.

The department has an ambulance that has more than 100,000 miles on it and a fire engine built in 1988, both of which need to be replaced.

Part-time pay for firefighters is $13.50 per hour.

The district covers areas of St. Charles and Campton townships and the villages of Campton Hills and Wayne.

Tags: fire district asks for more money again, fire district to seek tax levy increase, Fox River and Countryside Fire Protection District