Pace residents to vote on how to pay for fire services

Pace Fire Rescue District's headquarters station is located at 4773 Pace Patriot Blvd. [AARON LITTLE | Press Gazette]

PACE — Residents of Pace will have an important decision to make about their fire services this election season. Do they vote for a Special Fire District in Pace or not?

Pace Fire and Rescue Chief Robbie Whitfield said Pace wants to become its own special fire district. In 2016, for a non-binding referendum 69 percent of residents voted for Pace to become its own fire district. The Nov. 2018 ballot has a binding referendum. If it gets the votes, Pace can set their own rates for fire protection and will break away from MSBU funding.

Recently county commissioner's approved an MSBU for fire protection for Allentown, Bagdad, Berrydale, East Milton, Harold, Jay, Munson, Pace and Skyline. It was the first increase for these services since 2007. The areas with needs are the unincorporated communities that use volunteer firefighters. Volunteerism has decreased in the last 10 years, according to the county, while call volumes continued to increase, putting a strain on those departments.

Here are the changes in the new MSBU fire assessment rates for 2019:

  • Residential Tier 1 (2,700 square feet or less under roof) went from $85 to $103
  • Residential Tier 2 (greater than 2,700 square feet) went from $175 to $155

A yes vote will allow Pace to control their own rates for fire protection. Meaning they can get more funding if, they become a special fire district. It will allow the department to hire more fire fighters, allow 24-hours, 7-days a week staffing of fire stations, allow the department to open more fire stations and allow the fire department to buy newer and better equipment.

The cost of a yes vote is undetermined now, but the millage rate cap on this special fire district proposal is 2.50 mills in any one year. For example, if this ballot item passes, and implemented at the highest rate, 2.50 mills, the homeowner would pay $250 in property taxes per $100,000 of home value. So a home valued at $200,000 would mean $500 in extra property taxes.

"Voters have to determine how much fire and rescue service they want," Commissioner Sam Parker said.

The other option is the special fire district referendum fails. Then the MSBU funding approved at the Sept. 14, commissioners meeting will cover 2019. After that the county, as it has historically done, would continue funding fire rescue services through MSBU, or find and alternate funding source. What would need to change if MSBU funding continues is increasing the millage rates to keep up with the growth in Pace.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Pace residents to vote on how to pay for fire services