Eighteen ask for hikes in fire district tax rates
By Steve Herring
Published in News on June 9, 2011 1:46 PM
More than half of the 30 volunteer fire departments that serve Wayne County have asked for increases in their fire district tax rates. The increases would generate anywhere from $124.84 to $15,865.96 in additional revenues for the departments.
The rates are changing because of the state-mandated property revaluation the county recently completed.
Revaluation is required every eight years, and the county advertises a revenue-neutral rate -- a rate that is estimated to produce revenue for the next fiscal year equal to the revenue for the current fiscal year if no re-appraisal had occurred.
Fire districts were created by public vote, and the fire departments in those districts contract with the county and provide fire protection for their respective fire protection districts. The departments submit budget requests to the county based on fire tax rates approved by commissioners.
County Manager Lee Smith mentioned the rates briefly Tuesday during his budget presentation to commissioners.
The board will hold a budget work session June 13 at 8:30 a.m. in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the county courthouse annex. A public hearing on the budget will be June 21 at 9:15 a.m. in the commissioners' meeting room.
The budget can be approved following the public hearing.
Residents in a fire protection district might receive a break on their fire insurance premiums based on the department's insurance rating -- savings that could offset what they pay in fire taxes, county officials said.
The county is served by 30 districts including Boon Hill in Johnston County, which serves a portion of western Wayne County, and Moseley Hall in Lenoir County, which serves an area in the southeastern part of the county. Of those 30 departments, 18 are asking for rate increases.
They are:
* Antioch, 80 cents per $100 of property value (current), 69.2 cents per $100 of property value (neutral), 80 per $100 of property value (requested), $3,569.31 (additional revenue generated)
* Boon Hill, 50 cents, 46.2 cents, 50 cents, $200.48
* Eastern Wayne, 80 cents, 67.6 cents, 80 cents, $3,394.5
* Elroy, 65 cents, 60.4 cents, 65 cents, $14,568.59
* Eureka, 80 cents, 68.6 cents, 80 cents, $7,049.69
* Faro, 80 cents, 66.5 cents, 80 cents, $3,474.79
* Indian Springs, 60 cents, 54 cents, 60 cents, $6,429.86
* Little River, 80 cents, 71.9 cents, 80 cents, $10,044.72
* Mar Mac, 60 cents, 56 cents, 60 cents, $11,438.06
* Moseley Hall, 40 cents, 37.4 cents, 40 cents, $556.61
* Nahunta, 70 cents, 63.4 cents, 70 cents, $10,316.4
* Patetown, 50 cents, 44.7 cents, 50 cents, $6,706.08
* Pinewood, 70 cents, 56.9 cents, 57 cents, $124.84
* Pleasant Grove, 70 cents, 61.3 cents, 70 cents, $15,865.96
* Seven Springs, 40 cents, 36.2 cents, 40 cents, $2,226.99
* Smith Chapel, 70 cents, 59.6 cents, 70 cents, $6,144.09
* Thoroughfare, 80 cents, 69.3 cents, 75 cents, $4,664.67
* Waylin, 45 cents, 37.7 cents, 45 cents, $8,221.78.