Voters reject Winfield fire tax hike request

Voters rejected a tax increase Tuesday for the Winfield Fire Protection District that would've allowed the agency to shore up its finances and hire three new full-time firefighters.

With all 23 precincts reporting, unofficial totals showed 4,208 votes opposed to the increase and 2,178 votes in favor.

The fire district asked voters to lift the tax cap for the next four years to allow 12.5 percent tax increases. The tax cap limits increases to 5 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.

The request would have cost the owner of a $300,000 home about $24 in the first year and a total of $293 over four years, fire officials estimate.

The same ballot question failed by just 10 votes last April. About 52 percent of voters rejected the request in November 2006.

Meanwhile, Winfield-area voters overwhelmingly approved a second, separate ballot question asking whether trustees on the fire district board should be elected by the public.

The Winfield fire district's board members currently are appointed by DuPage County leaders.

With all 23 precincts reporting, unofficial totals showed 5,202 voters approving the question and 1,008 voters rejecting it.