Antioch fire district seeks to increase its taxing rate

(from the Daily Herald)

Antioch fire district seeks to increase its taxing rate

By Corrinne HessDaily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Just before state tax caps went into effect in the early 1990s, the Antioch Fire Protection District unwittingly lowered its tax rate.

Now, more than a decade later, district officials say they hope residents will allow an increase.
Antioch Township voters will be asked Tuesday if the district can raise the tax rate from 19.8 cents per $100,000 equalized value to 30 cents. The estimated increase of $350,000 will provide around-the-clock staffing at station one in downtown Antioch, officials said.

“Right now we have the lowest rate in Lake County,” said Lt. Chris Lienhardt. “We understand people don’t like the phrase ‘tax increase,’ but we’ve done our due diligence and are just asking for what is allowable under the cap.”

No organized opposition to the referendum has surfaced during the campaign.

State law permits fire protection districts to tax up to 30 cents per $100,000 of equalized assessed valuation. If the district was charging less, it must go to referendum.

A similar Antioch Fire Protection District proposal was rejected in 2005.
If approved, the owner of a $200,000 home will pay an extra $60 in the first year. Currently, that homeowner pays about $130 annually to the district.

The 90-member department is staffed by volunteers who are paid on call.
The district has three stations — the main station downtown and substations on Grass Lake Road, west of Route 59 and Deep Lake Road and Depot Street.

Currently, three people work at the two substations 12 hours a day, five days a week.
If the referendum is approved, Lienhardt said, the downtown station will be staffed and equipment also will be kept at the other two stations.

Lienhardt said the ultimate goal is to have all the stations staffed full time.
Structure fires in the district have decreased, but the number of calls are up. As of Tuesday, the department had 267 calls — 40 percent more than this time a year ago.

In 1990, the department had about 340 calls. It answered 898 calls last year.

“The fire department can only do so much,” Lienhardt said. “From the time the fire is discovered until the 911 call is placed, we can’t control what happens. All we have is response times.”

Lienhardt said the department meets the national average of six minutes for response times.
However, that time is from the station to the fire. With increased traffic and volunteers living in various parts of the township, it takes longer than desirable for them to get to the station, he said.