“Current budget projections basically will put us in a position of not being able to provide the same level of service [as we do now]. ... Essentially, we will have a need to increase the rate in the near future, but right now, the focus is on getting the cap raised so we can make sure that we have that ability to protect our current level of service,” Wilson said.
Zooming in
In 2022, ESD 16 transitioned to mostly paid versus volunteer firefighters. This transition contributed to annual budgeted expenses escalating 86% since 2020, but Fire Chief Jason Catrambone said it has also improved the level of service the department can provide.
“Ten years ago, it took about 12 minutes on average to get to a scene. This past month was under six minutes,” Catrambone said in a March interview. “From the incipient stage of a fire, it basically doubles in size every 30 seconds, so that’s why we talk times.”
In addition to facing higher costs for personnel and their benefits, officials are upgrading fire stations originally designed for volunteers to suit full-time staff better. Equipment expenses have also grown with inflation in recent years.
Explained
About half of the KFD’s revenue comes from a 1% local sales tax, which fluctuates each year based on the economy, Catrambone said.
The rest of the funding comes from local property taxes. On top of the ESD’s internal rate cap, state law limits annual property tax revenue growth without voter approval, preventing most local taxing entities from drastic rate hikes year over year. Therefore, if voters approve the ballot measure, any increases to the actual tax rate would be incremental over time.
The owner of a home valued at $350,000 is currently contributing about $175 annually in property taxes to the department.
Registered voters within the KFD’s boundaries can vote for or against the proposed tax rate cap increase May 3 at the ESD 16 administrative building, 18606 Stuebner Airline Road, Klein, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. The deadline to register to vote is April 3.
