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Fox River fire district to pose tax increase feeler in November

Voters accustomed to seeing a tax increase request from the Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District on the ballot will experience déjà vu this November. But this time district trustees aren't actually asking for the money.

Trustees agreed Monday night to place a series of advisory questions on the November ballot. The questions will be designed to measure how much of a tax increase residents would support.

If the answer is no tax increase, then trustees want input on how much of a reduction in services residents would support to keep the district solvent.

The questions will be part of a community outreach effort to heal some still-fresh wounds accumulated in the past year. In recent months, the district has struggled through the acrimonious resignations of two of its longtime trustees, including former President Jim Gaffney. That saga paired with the resignation of a fire chief and struggling finances that fueled consideration of a move to part-time firefighter and paramedic staffing at the district's two stations.

Money to pay and retain firefighters and paramedics continues to be a problem for the district.

"We've become the training center for other fire departments," Trustee John Gamboa said. "We prepare them very well for other fire departments who can afford to pay them. That's not right."

Two firefighters who received awards from the department in a ceremony Monday night have already left for better-paying positions in other communities. To stem the tide of departures, the district will need a cash infusion soon.

Wording of the advisory questions for the November ballot was not finalized Monday. But trustees debated one question that would ask voters for a 20-cent increase to the district's tax rate. Such an increase would nearly double the district's current tax rate. Voters have rejected the district's most recent attempts at a tax increase by wide margins.

However, community members also turned out in large numbers to protest any move toward part-time staffing.

"They want champagne with beer money," said district President Bob Handley.

To that end, one of the advisory questions might ask voters if they would approve a move to part-time staffing and/or the closure of one of the fire stations to help the department live within its existing means.

Without more money or a significant cost reduction, trustees have said the district will become insolvent and face possible dissolution. If the district dissolved, residents would see a tax increase of about 300 percent if any of the surrounding fire districts took over the emergency response duties.

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