Falmouth Officials Make Case For Tax Hike To Hire 8 Firefighters

FALMOUTH, MA — Town officials made the case for a $971,507 override to pay to hire eight new firefighters.

The override would allow Falmouth's residential tax rate to increase to pay for the firefighter's salaries outside the normal operating budget. In Massachusetts, cities and towns can't raise property taxes more than 2.5 percent without voter approval.

If Falmouth voters approve the override ballot question on May 19, it would cost the average homeowner $30.24 annually to add the positions. The override would also need approval at town meeting, which was scheduled to be held the third Monday after the expiration of the state of emergency for the coronavirus.

Assistant Town Manager Peter Johnson-Staub said adding firefighters is necessary as the number of emergency calls increase.

"Those eight firefighters would provide two additional firefighters every 24-hour shift, seven days a week," Assistant Town Manager Peter Johnson-Staub said at Monday's selectmen meeting. "That is in part needed because calls have nearly doubled over the past 20 years, and additionally, we are implementing, effective July 1, the new requirement that every engine and ladder deployed from the fire department must have at least two firefighters."

Finance Director Jennifer Mullen said the added positions could not fit into the town's budget without cutting services elsewhere.

Selectmen have also received questions about whether the town can afford an override given the COVID-19 crisis. Selectwoman Susan Moran said the question to ask is whether you want to increase your taxes to pay for new firefighters, as those costs don't come out of the existing operating budget.