Endorsement: Yes on Palatine Rural Fire Protection District tax increase
The Palatine Rural Fire Protection District is back before voters with a request for more money after its referendum question last March failed by fewer than 100 votes. As property tax revenues decline, the department has been operating in the red. It faces the prospect of losing two full-time positions and thus reducing the size of the complement on duty at all times. The district has considered the extreme measure of selling advertising on its equipment to raise needed resources. Its request - a mere 0.05 percent increase in property taxes - will produce about $200,000 to get the operation back to where it needs to be to assure the safety of the homes and businesses in the 17 square miles the department protects in Palatine Township and Inverness. We recommended approval of the measure last March. The only thing different now is that the need is even more urgent today. Voters in the district should vote yes and approve this reasonable, needed tax increase.