Tri-State Fire District Tax Hike Approved In Tuesday's Election

DARIEN, IL – A big majority of voters approved a proposed property tax increase for the Tri-State Fire District in Tuesday's election

As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, unofficial results showed 64 percent of voters were in favor, while 36 percent were against.

The measure would mean $38 million for the district. It would bring an estimated $140 annual increase for the owner of a $400,000 house.

That measure includes money for the fire stations in Darien and Burr Ridge.

The plan is to rebuild Darien's Tri-State fire station. It is next to the Indian Prairie Public Library at Plainfield and Clarendon Hills roads.

Darien's station is on a compact site that cannot accommodate any additions needed to meet modern standards, according to the fire district's website.

"Renovating the current building would be inefficient and still leave critical layout and infrastructure issues unresolved," the website said. "The current apparatus bay requires fire vehicles to perform a three-point turn on Plainfield Road after returning from a call, delaying traffic and creating safety concerns."

The district said a rebuild would avoid the ongoing costs of maintaining outdated systems, inefficient layouts and infrastructure that is past its useful life.

Under the measure, the district would renovate the stations in Willowbrook and Willow Springs. It would either expand or relocate the station in Burr Ridge. Some neighbors of the current station oppose expanding it, suggesting a move instead.

This was the first tax hike referendum since the fire district was founded in 1946.

A section of Tri-State's website is about the referendum.