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Escambia Tax Increases??
Escambia considers new fees
Commission seeks moneyto fight fires, kill mosquitoes
Steve Mraz
@PensacolaNewsJournal.com
Escambia County residents could soon see improvements in fire protection and mosquito control, but they'll have to pay for them.
The Escambia County Commission on Tuesday is expected to consider how to pay for a $54 million, five-year improvement plan for Escambia County Fire Rescue. Commissioners also could vote on a significant increase in the amount Santa Rosa Island residents and businesses pay for fire protection.
Also on Tuesday's agenda is a countywide millage rate increase to generate almost $1 million for mosquito control this coming fiscal year.
"I think it will be a very difficult, contentious meeting," said Commissioner Janice Gilley.
With two different mechanisms that could fund the five-year fire protection plan, it's difficult to say exactly how much more residents would have to pay. All county residents would pay $36 more a year for fire protection if commissioners decide to raise the fire-plan money through a municipal services benefit unit.
If the commissioners decide on a municipal service taxing unit, half the county residents would pay a maximum rate of $96.10; half would not. Also under the taxing unit proposal, 33 percent of county residents would pay less than the $50 a year they currently pay.
Commissioner Cliff Barnhart favors the fire improvements, but Commissioner Tom Banjanin said it's not necessary.
"I'm not convinced fire service needs to have that much money," Banjanin said.
The $54 million fire-protection plan is the conservative plan, not the "Cadillac plan," and is absolutely necessary, said Escambia County Fire Chief Ken Perkins.
It will provide 44 new career firefighters, 15 new pumper trucks and two new ladder trucks among several other improvements.
Perkins has the support of the county's volunteer fire chiefs on the plan.
If the plan isn't approved, the volunteer department may have to curtail some of the services they provide, said Harold Pool, Brent Volunteer Fire Department chief.
"You have three basic services in the county: fire, EMS and law enforcement," he said. "These you have to have or you've got chaos."
Santa Rosa Island residents too could see a bigger hit in their wallets. Their fire-protection fee could increase from $50 a year to $201.38 annually.
"I think the percentage it's increasing is too much," said Betty Thompson, Pensacola Beach resident. "If they equalized the percentage on a countywide basis, it would be OK."
The increase is an effort to have beach residents and businesses completely cover the cost of the Pensacola Beach Fire Department, Escambia County Administrator George Touart has said.
A proposed mosquito control ad valorem tax would increase property taxes by 0.11 mills. The increase would mean that homeowners with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay an extra $11 each year in property taxes and owners of homes with a $50,000 taxable value would pay an extra $5.50 each year in property taxes.
The increase would pay for six new trucks, four new pest-control employees and two new surveillance technicians, among other improvements.
Escambia County led the state last year in human West Nile Virus infections with seven.
"My question on mosquitoes is, `Are cockroaches and fire ants next?"' Gilley said. "I don't think we can protect residents from every pest that enters the county."
Commission seeks moneyto fight fires, kill mosquitoes
Steve Mraz
@PensacolaNewsJournal.com
Escambia County residents could soon see improvements in fire protection and mosquito control, but they'll have to pay for them.
The Escambia County Commission on Tuesday is expected to consider how to pay for a $54 million, five-year improvement plan for Escambia County Fire Rescue. Commissioners also could vote on a significant increase in the amount Santa Rosa Island residents and businesses pay for fire protection.
Also on Tuesday's agenda is a countywide millage rate increase to generate almost $1 million for mosquito control this coming fiscal year.
"I think it will be a very difficult, contentious meeting," said Commissioner Janice Gilley.
With two different mechanisms that could fund the five-year fire protection plan, it's difficult to say exactly how much more residents would have to pay. All county residents would pay $36 more a year for fire protection if commissioners decide to raise the fire-plan money through a municipal services benefit unit.
If the commissioners decide on a municipal service taxing unit, half the county residents would pay a maximum rate of $96.10; half would not. Also under the taxing unit proposal, 33 percent of county residents would pay less than the $50 a year they currently pay.
Commissioner Cliff Barnhart favors the fire improvements, but Commissioner Tom Banjanin said it's not necessary.
"I'm not convinced fire service needs to have that much money," Banjanin said.
The $54 million fire-protection plan is the conservative plan, not the "Cadillac plan," and is absolutely necessary, said Escambia County Fire Chief Ken Perkins.
It will provide 44 new career firefighters, 15 new pumper trucks and two new ladder trucks among several other improvements.
Perkins has the support of the county's volunteer fire chiefs on the plan.
If the plan isn't approved, the volunteer department may have to curtail some of the services they provide, said Harold Pool, Brent Volunteer Fire Department chief.
"You have three basic services in the county: fire, EMS and law enforcement," he said. "These you have to have or you've got chaos."
Santa Rosa Island residents too could see a bigger hit in their wallets. Their fire-protection fee could increase from $50 a year to $201.38 annually.
"I think the percentage it's increasing is too much," said Betty Thompson, Pensacola Beach resident. "If they equalized the percentage on a countywide basis, it would be OK."
The increase is an effort to have beach residents and businesses completely cover the cost of the Pensacola Beach Fire Department, Escambia County Administrator George Touart has said.
A proposed mosquito control ad valorem tax would increase property taxes by 0.11 mills. The increase would mean that homeowners with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay an extra $11 each year in property taxes and owners of homes with a $50,000 taxable value would pay an extra $5.50 each year in property taxes.
The increase would pay for six new trucks, four new pest-control employees and two new surveillance technicians, among other improvements.
Escambia County led the state last year in human West Nile Virus infections with seven.
"My question on mosquitoes is, `Are cockroaches and fire ants next?"' Gilley said. "I don't think we can protect residents from every pest that enters the county."
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