MISCONCEPTION #1: The Fire District has plenty of funding because of new homes and businesses in our community.
FALSE
The Fire District is limited to a set amount of revenue per year plus a 1% increase not counting any additional tax revenue from new construction added to the tax rolls in the last year. As new properties come on board, this increases the assessed valuation of the Fire District and decreases the levy rate to maintain those revenue limits.
For example, say voters approved a fire levy of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2017. Property values have increased in our fire district to the point where the levy rate dropped to $1.16.
Growth, call volume increases, and the operational costs for Fire District 3 have outpaced the 1% annual revenue increase. At $1.16 per $1,000, the fire district is serving properties for less than the actual amount it costs to provide service.
