Consultants from Government Services Group is now recommending a $292 fee for single-family homeowners to pay for fire and rescue services instead of the ad-valorem tax you currently pay.
The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District is considering the fee as a way to replace property taxes as the major source of income to pay for the services.
The proposed fee, which requires voter approval before it can be assessed, could bring in an average of $14.5 million a year over the next five years.
The fee is based on historical data about the costs of providing services and the demand for them, according to Government Services Group senior vice president Camille Tharpe.
Commissioners plan to make a decision this month to put the fee on the Aug. 26 primary ballot. That could happen this Monday evening during a 5 p.m. special meeting of the fire commission. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the headquarters of the East County Water Control District, 601 East County Lane. The fire commission consultants are trying to gets answers to lingering questions such as can the fee for homeowners be split into tiers so people with lower incomes and smaller houses won’t pay the same as people with higher incomes and larger homes.
PLEASE attend the Fire District’s upcoming meetings (March 10th & 25th) and voice your opinions and/or concerns. The Community needs to decide what level of service they want from their local Fire Department in the future. Visit our website (www.lehighfd.com)as we will be adding information regarding the Fee Assessment in the near future. Thank you. John R. Wayne, Fire Chief