Resistance steps up as the fire-rescue provider wants to eliminate a flat fee. A homeowner could end up paying many times the $190.
By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published June 9, 2004
BELLEAIR BEACH - This upscale community declared war against its fire service provider Monday, threatening to secede from the Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District and seek coverage from Clearwater or Largo.
In a strongly worded resolution, the City Council announced its "vehement opposition" to the fire district's plan to switch from flat fees to property taxes in order to fund its services.
The council also voted "to investigate the possibilities of contracting with the City of Clearwater for fire and EMS services" or join with other beach towns "to sever" their ties to the fire district and jointly contract with another fire/EMS service provider.
A divorce might be difficult, however, since it would require action by the state Legislature.
Homeowners in the fire district, which covers Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores and a large portion of the mainland between Seminole and Largo, pay a flat fee of $190. If voters approve a referendum Aug. 31, homeowners would pay up to $225 in taxes for every $100,000 of assessed property value.
According to the Belleair Beach resolution, the new tax would "result in the average household in Belleair Beach paying an annual assessment of $1,000 to $6,000 for fire and EMS services."
A special meeting of the fire district is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. June 23 at Station 27, 304 First St., Indian Rocks Beach. The district sent letters to all affected mayors asking them to attend.
The Belleair Beach City Council plans to recruit allies by distributing copies of its resolution to residents and urging a "maximum level of voter turnout" to defeat the proposed tax.
"Our intent is to absolutely scrap the idea of ad valorem taxes. The citizens on the beach will absolutely not stand for this," Belleair Beach Mayor Michael Kelly said Monday.
The Indian Shores Commission and Belleair Shore and Indian Rocks Beach mayors already have stated their disapprovals.
Fire district chairman Bill Ripley said that despite last year's voter-approved 58 percent hike in fire fees, without additional revenue the fire district will be virtually bankrupt by 2006.
