County struggles with fire services funding

Alachua County Commissioners reviewed three options for funding fire services Tuesday.

The county had been set to approve a new enhanced fire assessment that has been in the works since October, but public outcry at a June 22 meeting swayed commission votes and reopened the discussion for how the county would fund its fire services.

The enhanced assessment is still on the table, along with three new options.

Option No. 1 is to raise the millage rate from 1.18 mills to 1.51 mills. This would mean an increase of about $32 for every $100,000 in taxable value. This option requires unanimous support for approval because it’s the maximum level the commission can raise the millage rate. This option would fully fund the department and avoid cuts deeper than the ones already enacted.

Option No. 2 comes into play if the commission can’t all agree on raising the millage rate 1.51 mills. With a supermajority, or four out of the five votes, the commission can raise the millage rate from 1.18 to 1.34, the equivalent of a $16 increase for every $100,000 of taxable value. This would save taxpayers some money but would leave the fire department about $813,000 short.

Option No. 3 takes a two-pronged approach, funding the department partly through property taxes and partly through the assessment. The millage rate would be reduced from 1.18 to 1.02, a $16 reduction for every $100,000 of taxable value. And the assessment would be in effect, but at 25 percent of the level previously discussed. This would fully fund the department, diversify and stabilize the county’s revenue streams and avoid placing such a dramatic increase on the types of properties hit hardest by the full enhanced assessment.

County staff compiled a list of items that could be cut to make up the $813,000. The biggest on the list was the capital improvement projects debt of $500,000. Director of Public Safety Ed Bailey said the county could put off a year on paying the debt as a way to cut costs and spare the department from needing to sell a fire engine, but it would only be a temporary solution. The county would be facing the same debt come budget time next year. Other cuts included public education, a special recruitment program restructuring and a district chief, who is retiring early.

Commissioners voted to get information at the next meeting for one more option – funding the department with the maximum millage rate allowed with only three-vote approval. The budget shortfall would be $1.6 million under such a scenario.

Bailey said that renegotiating contracts with municipalities is another option to cut costs. The county has contracts with Newberry, High Springs, La Crosse and Micanopy to pay these cities for services provided by city fire departments outside of city limits. Ending or renegotiating these contracts could mean cuts for these city departments.

The county also has a contract pending with the City of Alachua. Alachua agreed to the enhanced assessment months ago.

At the meeting Tuesday, Mayor Gib Coerper read a Feb. 9 letter from Alachua County Chairwoman Cynthia Chestnut to then-Mayor of Alachua Bonnie Burgess convincing the city to join the county assessment.

“There is a critical need for EFA (Enhanced fire assessment) in order to sustain fire services in our communities. It is my hope that Alachua will recognize the importance of EFA and adopt the consent ordinance,” Coerper said, reading from the letter.

Coerper then said, “We did do that Madam Chair in good faith. The new fire assessment within the city of Alachua will benefit our citizens, and I wish you would pass this.”

“We have started our budget process, as well as all the other communities have, and we want something concrete to put in the budget,” Coerper said.

Alachua City Commissioner Ben Boukari, Jr. said he was looking forward to the savings the city was expecting from the contract it already signed with the county. Alachua paid $670,000 last year and was slated to pay $430,000 this year.

“How can you come to us and say it’s going to cost us more than the $430,000 that you said it’s going to cost our citizens for fire services?” Boukari said.

“How can you come to us with $670,000 again?”

Citizens were once again vocal. At the June 22 meeting, commissioners listened to about four hours of public backlash against the enhanced assessment. With all the options on the table Tuesday, citizens had more to say.

Most were frustrated with all of the proposed options.

“Citizens have said to you they want tax relief; this is not going to do it,” said Alachua County resident Armando Grundy.

Many citizens, including resident Bruce Nelson, said funding fire was important, but if the county is going to raise taxes to pay for it, it needs to look to other areas in the budget to make cuts.

Closing out Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners did not tip their hands and left all options open, including the full enhanced assessment. Commissioners will meet again on July 13 to make a decision on the enhanced assessment and on the millage rate.