Now's not the time to raise taxes

The Antioch Township Fire District makes its fifth attempt to pass a tax increase that would fund 24-hour firefighting staffing at its three stations.

Unfortunately, with local homeowners already dealing with declining property values and the threat of unemployment cast upon them by the country's recession, we must urge a vote of no.

The fire district would like to staff three stations around the clock and add paramedic firefighters to each station.

That plan would cost the owner of a house valued at $100,000 an additional $73.33 in property taxes to the district the first year.

By itself, that might not seem a heavy burden, but every dollar counts in these troubling times.

There is, without a doubt, a need for fire district improvements. The number of rescue calls has increased to nearly 1,000 per year from about 400 calls 10 years ago within the village of Antioch and the township, fire officials say. However, the rapid growth once projected has slowed because of the downturn in the housing market. That makes this need less urgent than it would be in more prosperous times.

Voters will definitely see the issue again if it is turned down.

We can only hope our economy would improve by then.