County 5 Set Fire Rates On Fire: Expenditures up 91%, Residential Fire Rates Up 137%
Posted July 23, 2013 08:55 am | 1 comment
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Yesterday morning in an unannounced and barely publicized workshop the Columbia County 5 tentatively approved a residential fire rate assessment increase of 137% with total expenditures increasing 91%. If the commissioners don't' back off, the assessment for a single family home in the unincorporated area of the County will go from $77 to $183. Trash rates for residential customers will be going down a few dollars, while business and industrial customers will see an increase.
The rate chart below shows the adopted fire rate, which is what one pays now, and a series of proposed rates. The residential rate is on the first line. The County 5 tentatively approved the Enhanced Coverage rate, which will raise the fire assessment rate from $77 to $183, or 137%.
The chart below is the fire and 911 expenditures. The current budget column on the left is the dollar amount on which the present assessment is based. The following columns show the different scenarios reviewed by the County 5, which chose the "Enhanced Coverage" which represents a 91% increase over the current budgeted amount.
The Assessment Rate Hearing is scheduled for September 5th at 5:30 pm in the auditorium at the School Board Administrative Complex.
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The Columbia County 5 from left to right: Commissioners Ronald Williams; Rusty DePratter; Bucky Nash; Stephen Bailey; Scarlet Frisina