With less than 7% vote turn out. Voters in Lehigh Acres speak loud and clear and rejected a change in the way fire fees are assessed and collected at a special election Tuesday.
Of the registered voters that turned out to turn down the proposal with 1,892, or 56%, voting against the change and 1,523, or 44%, voting to support it.
The referendum would have shifted an increased share of the burden for fire department fees onto the owners of the thousands of vacant lots throughout Lehigh and cause double taxation and no more notification to the property owners.
The change was strongly supported by the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District board, its fire chief and its unionized workforce.
Signed documents show that the Chief officers of the Lehigh
Acres Fire Department will be receiving a 5% pay raise on Oct 1, 2019, and an
additional 5% Pay raise on Oct 1, 2020.
Also, other signed documents show that the Firefighters of the Lehigh Acres
Fire Department will be receiving a 4% pay raise on Oct 1, 2019, and an
additional 4% Pay raise on Oct 1, 2020.
Others documents show that the union know who voted by mail and early voting on June 3, 2019 and this was confirmed by the election’s office.
Only 800 votes were cast at the polls. Most of the voters who cast ballots did so by mail, about 2,000.
According to Tommy Doyle the Lee county election supervisor there will be no recount. And the Lehigh Acres Fire Department will be receiving shortly a bill for nearly $100,000 for running this special election.
Lehigh Acres Gazette tried to reach Fire Chief Robert Dilallo for comment, he was not available for comment.
Special fire board meeting June 12 6 pm at Station 104 3102 16th St SW Lehigh Acres, FL 33976
THE PURPOSES OF THE SPECIAL MEETINGS ARE TO DISCUSS AND POSSIBLY TAKE ACTION ON FINANCIAL AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT MATTERS AND TO DISCUSS AND POSSIBLY TAKE ACTION ON ANY AND ALL OTHER ITEMS THAT COME BEFORE THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.