Fire Department to See $3.9 Million Revenue Recovery

If the Fort Myers Beach Fire District Board does not raise the millage rate going into 2025 they will see $3.9 million more in revenue over 2024. That jump is due to the increase in beach property values. The Fire District millage rate is $2.9851 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

The Fort Myers Beach Fire District is its own taxing district and appears as a separate line on your TRIM notice. The 5-member Fire District Board meets on July 24th at 10AM to set the tentative millage rate for fiscal 2025 which begins October 1st.

Back in 2022 the Fire District took in $15.2 million in revenue from taxpayers based on a millage rate 2.9851 and a total taxable value of property on Fort Myers Beach of $5.2 billion. Following Hurricane Ian, in 2023, that total taxable value dropped by 41% to just over $3 billion and the fire district took in $9.13 million in revenue from taxpayers. However, in late 2023 the state sent $14 million, that does not have to be paid back, to the Fire District to help make up the money lost.

Lee County Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell says property values have jumped by 43% this year so if the fire district keeps the millage rate the same they would bring in $3.9 million dollars more from the taxpayers. Fort Myers Beach Fire Chief Scott Wirth says despite the 43% recovery in property values, it’s still a decrease of 16% when compared to 2022 values (pre-Ian).

On July 24th, the Fire District Board could also decide to roll back their millage rate to the number that would bring the district in the same amount of revenue as this year ($9.13 million) which would result in taxpayers simply paying next year what they paid this year.

When comparing the other taxing districts n the island; the town of Fort Myers Beach (.99), the Library (.2355) and the mosquito control district (.1123), the Fire Control District is the highest.