New Tax May Save Fire Stations

Commission Chair J.C. Sanford told the Board that this issue “needs to get real serious real quickly.” The Board of Commissioners considered implementing another tax for Gilmer County citizens last Thursday. If approved, the money would go to the Fire Department, used specifically to re-activate the four firehouses that were closed recently due to budget cuts. Prior to the cuts, the County was given an Insurance Services Office (I.S.O) rating of 7, which decreased home owner’s insurance by an estimated 30 percent. However, after the closing of the four fire stations, the I.S.O rating is likely to return to its previous rating of 10, eliminating the 30 percent savings.

Commission Chair J.C. Sanford told the Board that this issue “needs to get real serious real quickly.” He suggested putting

“a millage in place that would fund the Fire Department and be a restricted budget…and make that fund adequate to take care of the Fire Department.”

Sanford said that the new rate may be between a 2 ½ and 3 mill increase. Commission Post 1 Will Beattie interjected that he didn’t mind taking a hit from his office and levying a tax.

“But,

he said,

“ I have to be assured that we’re going to save the citizens more, overall, when you count what they’re going be paying for insurance, the benefits they get from the additional protection (from the Fire Department)…and what its going to cost more in tax.”

Beattie also said he wanted to “run the numbers” to find out how much is needed to maintain a 7 rating.
Financial Officer Faye Harvey said that an advertisement would have to be placed by July 28th for an approval by August 11th.
FYN will follow this story as it develops
Watch the BOC Discuss Potential Fire Tax

BOC Debates Fire Tax from Fetch on Vimeo.