If property tax reform passes in November, the Fort Myers Beach Fire District estimates they will have to raise the millage rate from 2.76 to 2.93 in year one and up to 3.02 in year two in order to maintain the current services. Fire Cheif Scott Wirth is our guest Saturday morning at 10AM.
Wirth says $341,788 will be lost in year one and $509,788 in year two if the voters approve the Homestead exemption increase in November.
Last week the Fire District agreed to maintain the millage rate at 2.76. A public hearing will be held on September 14th at 5:05 PM to approve the final rate. Between now and the September 14th, the rate can come down, it cannot exceed 2.76 (per$1,000 of assessed prperty value. If 2.76 is approved, the district will see more revenue, because property values have increased on Fort Myers Beach 8.52%, according to Lee County Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell.
What ever happened to the idea of merging with Iona-McGregor Fire District?
Government is always reactive. Why is it being proactive in this situation. With all the new construction coming, let’s see where the chips fall before increasing anything!
Maybe he should look to cut costs..the fire district is one of the highest line items on our tax bill…
How many “calls” do they make a year? Divide that into the budget…I bet it’s one of the highest cost per call in the country…
No, it’s not. How about you provide some proof Mr Fmb homeowner? Oh, you don’t have any proof just BS.Exactly what do you want cut. I’m waiting
So let me get this straight. They will lose $341,788 in the first year and $509,788 in year 2. Is that based on the tax generated with todays tax base? I’m sure the chief has been driving on the island and has seen all of the new construction of houses and businesses. Several of the new buildings/houses are almost completed so I’m assuming that they will be added to the tax roll by next year and throughout the upcoming years as they are completed, which will add money to the tax base! What about the new businesses that will be open by the end of this year, which will increase the taxes generated for the island. Is all of this based on his figures? My guess is no because the assessed value of those properties have not been determined yet. And according to the new Homestead bill, after this year it will take 5 years to reap the benefits of the new Homestead exemption.
Just an FYI, this isn’t against the chief or the fire department it’s about the principal. All of the elected officials are saying that they will lose money if the bill passes. Has anyone seen how many new houses, housing complexes or businesses they are building not just in Lee county but in the entire state of Florida. More money added to the tax base!
Hi Doug,
I am the Fire Chief and you are spot on with your assumptions. I was conveying to the Board of Fire Commissioners last week the actual impacts using the current property values provided directly to us by the property appraiser. In my discussion I did make it clear that the illustration did not account for upcoming additions to the tax roll for new construction. In fact, I worked with the Town on some reports to try and project new construction that may be online by January 1. Our best estimates are that there could be as much as 65 million in new construction online by the end of the year and that does indeed change the math.
For the last two years, as new construction has come online, we have lowered the millage rate each year to try and offer relief to those who have carried the burden of maintaining public safety following Hurricane Ian. We also held off increasing staffing back to our pre-storm levels until the new station was nearly completed. At the last board meeting, we had to set a TRIM rate for the upcoming year and we set it at the same rate as we’re operating under this year. We’re still finalizing details for the 26/27 budget, but I expect to bring a lower TRIM rate by the time we get to the final budget in September and that will be three years of continually decreasing TRIM rates for the property owners of Fort Myers Beach.
I have said this throughout the conversations regarding the topic of merging or dissolving the fire district, and the subsequent study that we had completed, we operate in a fiscally conservative manner and we are an open book. To you and anybody else interested in knowing more about the cost, operations, or services that FMB Fire brings to the community, you’re welcome to come in anytime and we will share as much or as little as you’d like to see.
Thanks again for your thoughtful and measured comments.
Chief Wirth
If the fire budget is reduced by tax reform which service do you want to cut?
I’ll wait
Does he want to spend another 12 million for another ststion??
No. Stsition?
Since Fire protection is a separate line item on the TRIM Notice and public safety is prohibited from being affected by this proposal, I don’t see how the fire districts will see a loss of revenue. I assume the fire prot3ection line in the notice will remain at $50,000 exemption for homesteaders properties. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.
I think you’re right. Plus they just hired a bunch of new firemen to come up to needed staffing… don’t know if that was already in the budget. 🙂
It’s firefighter. Included in the biggest class in the FMBFD 76 year history are 4vwhite kids, 4 Spanish/Latin kids and 3 women. Yes, it is in the budget.
Jim,
Thank you for the comment. You’re right that the Governor identified public safety as a priority for funding for counties and cities. However, there is no carve out for public safety agencies that operate as Independent Special Districts. In Lee County alone there are 18 fire and rescue protection districts. These districts each bring a tailored level of service that their specific community has come to expect, and each has a different millage cap. Some districts who are operating under a lower millage cap, and who have a higher percentage of Homesteaded properties, are going to be severely impacted if the Homestead Exemption passes; that’s not scare tactics, that’s just reality.
If you’re interested in knowing more about the fire district’s operations, our finances, our strategic plans for the coming years or anything else, please reach out, I’d appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and share more about us.
Thanks again,
Chief Wirth
Value has only increased in the eyes of the appraiser (county) because 40% of the land is still unoccupied. Without raising the value they don’t meet budgets, when in 10 years the unoccupied land is built on we won’t see a reduction. Maybe the service should be evaluated before raising taxes again.
What do you mean by unoccupied ? Bare land requires little FD service, a building in disrepair has both fire and EMS risk, under renovation more risk and occupied still more. Everything being built will substantially increase the tax base. We need far .more details to form an opinion.could be true, could be political gloom/doom hype.
Nor does bare land have a need to be insured. Not one grain of sand will an insurance company pay for whether it is blown or washed away.