Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
A binding referendum question on the April 2 ballot will seek a 63 percent increase in the taxes paid to the Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District. If approved the measure would put an additional $1.1 million in the district’s coffers each year to raise staffing levels and fund equipment replacements and repairs.
Voters have shot down six previous attempts by the district to raise the property tax rate in the last several years. The margin by which those measures failed has significantly narrowed since the district’s first request making officials hopeful for a more positive outcome this time around. The fire board found the March 2018 election especially promising given the fact that a proposed 60 percent increase failed by only 32 votes.
Public support and awareness grew during the November election season. With more than 9,000 people voting — at least three times larger than the district’s usual turnout — the referendum question lost by 342 votes.
If the tax hike passes, the district’s tax rate will increase from about 27 to 43 cents per $100 of taxable property value. That means the owner of a $100,000 home would pay about $56 more per year.
In recent years, the district has eliminated firefighter positions and reduced costs while continuing to operate on what officials say is insufficient funding. The board decided to hold off on discussing additional budget cuts until after the April election.
“Our message remains the same,” Fire Chief John Nixon said. “We have equipment that’s failing, radios becoming a safety issue, vehicles that are costing extra money to maintain because they’re in many cases reaching the end of life, and staffing shortfalls that have created uncomfortable situations for us where we have to run short.”
The fire district plans to ask a citizen group for help talking to residents about the upcoming referendum question. Information about the proposal likely will be sent out through social media and in newsletters.
The district covers 38 square miles of unincorporated areas in St. Charles and Campton townships, as well as Campton Hills and Wayne.
#1 by Austin on January 17, 2019 - 10:11 AM
Crabby, you are kind of right. I actually lived in the district (for the first 2 years of it) and people were absolutely outraged when this whole thing even started. It was done almost in secrecy, with no way of knowing what was going on unless you went to the meetings. Which is a lesson to follow those more closely. I remember there budget for apparatus was somewhere around 1.1 million, I though how can you buy enough equipment? They bought some ultra cheap International Alexis engines, and a bunch of used second and third hand apparatus. That was enough for me to question what was going on.
The thing is I think people just vote, but that’s it. They don’t really question the chief or whats going on. The citizens already have zero faith in the department, and that is an issue too. The pro side is more vocal on local Facebook Pages like Whats happening St. Charles. There argument is look at what people pay in Elburn, West Chicago, Pingree, South Elgin, and Geneva. So there argument is FRC should make as much as those departments. Which isn’t even a good comparison since most are denser departments, with more tax revenue from commercial. The department is now 9 years old, and has nothing to show for it, other than debt. And I am so sick of the whole “our apparatus is old.” Which is a lie, especially since STC, Elburn, Geneva, Elgin, Pingree, and other towns that surround the district have front line apparatus from before FRC even formed. Heck Maple Park has a tanker from I believe 1977, and still responds and works. They created this mess, now its time for them to just end it, and admit defeat. Also Campton Hills needs to start their own department, and not rely on FRC.
#2 by CrabbyMilton on January 17, 2019 - 6:07 AM
The people who live in the district get what they deserve.
People have a responsibility to pay attention to what is going on and take prop action.
But I guess they just want to sit, do nothing, then talk about it all the time.
#3 by harry on January 16, 2019 - 9:35 PM
when a dept has a lot of new to newer vehicles and is asking for more new vehicles that is dumb I know it is for manpower and other things too
#4 by Daniel Hynd on January 16, 2019 - 9:00 PM
Isn’t the definition of Insanity doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result? Hmm…
#5 by Mike on January 16, 2019 - 8:38 PM
Please god someone with a brain get on the board and make this stupidity stop.