Endorsement: Yes for Bartlett Fire Protection District tax hike

The ultimate referendum question facing taxpayers in the Bartlett Fire Protection District on the April 4 ballot is pretty straightforward. Do they want to spend a little more to maintain the quality of their fire protection, or do they want to see its equipment, staffing and service continue to erode?

Fire Chief Michael Falese says he delayed coming to the fire board until he could demonstrate that his department has done everything possible to operate efficiently. That has meant, among other things, leaving staffing positions vacant, doing its own plumbing and mechanical repairs and using protective gear and fire equipment beyond their recommended service life. But now, he says, the belt tightening is beginning to squeeze areas that directly affect the public. Once, an ambulance stalled just before a set of railroad tracks. Another time, a fire truck's fuel tank fell off. Repairing some equipment would cost substantially more than its value. These are not conditions that bode well for the district's population, especially considering that demands on the district have increased 16 percent since 2009.

The district straddles Cook and DuPage counties, so the net effect of the tax increase being sought will be slightly different depending on where residents live. Officials say that the owner of a typical home - one valued at about $260,000 - would pay $86 on the Cook County side of the district and about $110 on the DuPage County side.

That's not an insubstantial sum, but at less than $10 a month, it's likewise not a burdensome amount to pay for adequate protection in times of emergency. We recommend a yes vote.