Monroe voters reject continuation of fire levy
Fifty-four percent of
But levies require a super-majority -- 60 percent -- in order to pass, and the 1,653 to 1,377 vote tally simply wasn't enough to push the measure over the top.
Raising around
The fire departments use the money to defray such expenses as purchasing personal protection equipment for firefighters, paying the companies' utility bills, paying for education and training for volunteer firefighters, keeping fire and rescue equipment in good repair and maintaining general liability and workers' compensation insurance.
Current fire levies will expire
County Commissioner
"It's worked very well, I think," Miller told
He noted that, in exchange for voters' approval of that initial five-year fire levy, all of the county's fire companies agreed to end "boot drives" and fundraising letters and instead rely on the revenue from the levy, plus an occasional special dinner, to supplement their budgets.
Miller has a theory about why voters rejected the levy's continuation this spring.
"It's probably where we put in that ordinance for EMS," he said, referring to the
That fee remains controversial.
Miller said he thinks people just don't realize all that volunteer firefighters and other emergency responders do and the risks they take to keep their communities safe.
"People don't step back and take a good look at it," Miller said. "We need to refresh their memories of what it's all about."
Before the fire levy was first put on that
Without the funding from the levy, VFDs will again face uncertainties in budgeting for routine needs, like paying the electric bill in their firehouses or replacing essential firefighting equipment, Miller said.
He said he is optimistic that once people are reminded what the levy revenue is used for and what the firefighters give back to their communities, voters will come around.
Miller said he expects the fire departments to decide to place the five-year levy renewal on the November general election ballot and give that 60 percent threshold another try.
"I think they can make up the difference this fall," he said.
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