Fire fee increase up for vote

Single-family homes would see about a 25 percent jump; the chief says it's a bargain.

By BARBARA BEHRENDT
Published July 20, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - Homeowners served by Hernando County Fire Rescue could see their annual fire fees rise to $194.87, an increase of $38.50, if the County Commission approves the new rate Tuesday.

Fire officials say the nearly 25 percent increase for single-family homes, and a more modest 5.5 percent increase for vacant and commercial properties, is needed to maintain adequate emergency services within the 420-square-mile district.

If approved, the increase could bring in an additional $1.28-million.

Fire district Chief Mike Nickerson said the fee increase would be the last in a phased-in plan that started in 2005, when the county did a total recalculation of the fire district's budget and funding.

The county decided not to approve the full increases recommended after that study, but instead began phasing in the increases, Nickerson said.

Last year, the commission approved a fee of $156.37, lower than the $184.71 proposed for a single-family home. But the county also made $1-million in reserve money available as a loan if the district needed it.

Nickerson said the loan ended up not being needed. Instead the district did some cutting of its budget, including the elimination of an assistant chief's job through attrition. Nine positions were funded through a grant.

"All things considered, the phase-in hasn't been a large negative," he said.

While the grant has paid for needed positions in the past, it gradually phases out, and the county must pay for the positions. If those positions are dropped, the fire district would have to repay the grant, county finance director George Zoettlein explained.

Over the last six years, the fees paid by single-family homeowners will have doubled if the new fees are approved. A chunk of that change came when the commission agreed to a fee structure change that removed what amounted to a subsidy for homeowners paid by the owners of commercial and industrial properties, Nickerson said.

About two years ago, local business leaders urged the commission to break local fire inspections out of the costs paid by commercial and industrial properties for the district, and to begin charging for those based on actual cost.

Once that happened, the percentage of overall fire district expenses that rested on homeowners increased, based on usage of the fire district's services, Nickerson said.

Then, last year, homeowners got a bit of a break when the fee approved by the commission was less than the proposal by the fire district, Zoettlein explained.

Nickerson said that the district has no capital expenses or major equipment purchases planned for the coming year. The hope is to get the increase in order to maintain the services and staffing that are needed now and to build a small reserve.

Compared to the other fire and rescue services in the county, he said, Hernando Fire Rescue is a bargain.

The district compared itself to Spring Hill Fire Rescue and the Brooksville Fire Department. Taking into consideration the different way each handles fire and emergency medical services funding, "we're still the cheapest," Nickerson said.

Considering the fee hike proposal by the district and the separate property tax levied for emergency medical services, the owner of a home with a taxable value of $125,000 will pay a total of $269.77 next year in the Hernando Fire Rescue District.

For those served by Spring Hill Fire Rescue, that cost would be $290.99. In Brooksville, if no cuts are made in the current budget for the fire department, the fee would be $478.65 for those services to the owner of a home with that same $125,000 taxable value.

Linda Hayward, a local tax reduction advocate, said she expected plenty of opposition to the fire fee increase at Tuesday's meeting.

"The thing is, we're already stretched to the hilt," she said. "This fire thing is an increase, and all across the state there are decreases."

She said she could see that fee wiping out whatever small benefit the state-mandated cuts in property taxes will bring this year.

Hayward said the county should be finding ways to trim wastefulness rather than trying to raise more dollars from local residents for services.

"It seems to me that they really don't care how much the taxpayer complains. There we are pleading with them to save us money," she said. "People are losing their homes."

Advocates for the fire district say the increase is badly needed.

Jason Brazinski, president of the district firefighters union, said that without the increase, proper staffing levels cannot be maintained.

The district has eight engines, but only four have a three-person crew. The other four have just two people, which is not recommended by firefighting safety standards.

"We need a long-term fix" to the fire district funding issue, he said. "And it's never been fixed."

Barbara Behrendt can be reached at behrendt@sptimes.com or 352 848-1434.

IF YOU GO:

Fire fee decision

The proposed increases in fire fees in the Hernando County Fire Rescue District will be considered Tuesday. The meeting is at 9 a.m. at the county government center, 20 N Main St., Brooksville.

[Last modified July 20, 2007, 07:41:49]