1. Chief Wayne said, “I’m planning on laying off 46 firefighters temporary even if the tax assessment passes.”
2. Insurance ISO rating / PPC rating will not go up until ISO reps come to Lehigh Acres and re-rate the department. When are they coming who knows?
3. Lee County Property Appraiser office states that 91.08% of all residential homes will a tax increase over 2013 tax rates if the assessment is passed.
4. Lehigh Acres will not lose Ambulance Transport Service according to Scott Tuttle, Deputy Director Public Safety and EMS Chief for Lee County EMS
5. According to the departments own independent auditor Tuscan and Company Lehigh Acres Fire is in debt for 2.5 million dollars.
6. Churches and non-profits (like Lehigh Community Services) in Lehigh Acres are NOT exempt from this tax assessment and will have to pay up if the assessment is passed.
7. Presbyterian Homes (aka Sunshine Villas) is NOT exempt from this tax assessment and will have to pay up if the assessment is passed.
8. Frank Lohlein President of Citizens Against Increased Taxes (aka C.A.I.T.) said,”Our voting block of 6000 people in Lehigh Acres will be voting no on the fire assessment.”
9. The issue of these items is so simple: The fire boards lack of or no decision making and the leadership of the union has caused the issues to escalate again. They all know 5 years ago about the housing bubble and the foreclosure issues but yet choose not to listen to business leaders in the community multiple times