Lehigh Fire District Puts Out Small Political Blaze to Start Political Fire Storm

The Lehigh Acres Fire District is trying to put out a political blaze but has started a heated political firestorm last fire board meeting on Sept 30.

Up for a vote in November 4th, the voters in Lehigh are considering a change in the way the fire district gets its funding.

Instead of collecting money from property tax, the fire district is proposing residents pay an assessment fee.

But a number of Lehigh Acres voters have expressed concern wondering if churches as well as not -for -profit organizations will keep their exemption status.

The fire district passed an “open-end” resolution but does not put those fears at ease, and has started a political fire storm.

A coalition of voters presented a resolution to the fire board in which the board refused to talk about last night, which would have locked all exemptions in stone and would have but it back in the voter’s hands at a later time. But now the fire board now has the ability to add or subtract exemptions at will.

Remember the Lee County School Board one day voted to Opt Out of all state testing, four days later rescinded the vote.

A Florida appeals court rules that churches can be required to pay special assessments only if their property is directly benefited. A county ordinance imposed special assessments against various property owners, including churches, to pay for fire and rescue services as well as storm-water management services. A state appeals court rules that the exemption of church property from property taxes does not exempt such property from special assessments. See for yourself click here.

Commissioner Linda Carter tried at the board meeting to include all recognized and legal exemptions but it fall to death ears of the other four fire commissioners. Are the other four fire commissioners actually listening to the voters of Lehigh Acres or is this an agenda of the fire union.

If the voters decide to vote in favor of the fire assessment fee come November 4th, the current resolution does not ensure 100% at any given time in the future that institutions, churches and people who are exempt now will stay exempt.