Fox River Fire District: We Need More Money

GENEVA, IL — The Fox River and Countryside Fire/Rescue District is holding a discussion on Monday, Nov 13 to get input from the community on the idea of raising taxes to help run the vital service.

The district presented similar referendums in 2015 and 2017, the Daily Herald reported, but voters rejected the tax increases on both occasions. Ken Shepro, the district's attorney, said "It is all but assured" that the trustees of the fire district will vote to see another tax increase.

They're seeking the tax hike because the current level of funding, for staff and equipment, is inadequate.

The Herald reported that the trustees want community members to attend the discussion on Monday and make it known how much of a tax increase they would support. Over 60 percent of voters in the district rejected the last attempt at a tax increase, which would have raised property tax bills paid to the district by 95 percent, according to the Herald.

If the referendum fails, and taxes don't increase, the most likely outcome would be a cut to the level of service they can provide. Emergency service stations would be put on an alternating schedule, meaning that likely only one station would be open at any time.

"The problem there is you're basically telling people to schedule their heart attacks on the days the station closest to them is open," Shepro said. "We don't want that, but it's more a question now of what level of service will our residents pay for. Everyone wants the fire truck or ambulance there when they want it, but they don't want to have to pay for it any other time."

The idea of dissolving the district came up, trustees rejected that idea, the Herald reported Shepro as saying. There's no clear process covering the dissolving of a district, and to their knowledge, it's never been done in the state of Illinois.

The discussion will take place Monday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. at Fire Station 1, 34W500 Carl Lee Rd. off of Route 25.

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