Winfield fire district chief taking questions on proposed tax increase
Winfield Fire Protection District Chief Steve Evans has been fielding questions about the district's seeking voter approval for a property tax increase.
"People can ask me anything they want about this issue or fire safety-related issues," Evans said.
Evans will join with Winfield School District 34 Superintendent Matt Rich at 6 p.m. today for a referendum listening session at Winfield Central School. It also will be livestreamed at Facebook.com/WinfieldFPD.
The session then will shift at 7 p.m. to a closed fire station along Winfield Road, just north of Roosevelt Road. The station on the south side of Winfield opened in 1983 but hasn't been used for years.
The district hopes to reopen the "South Station" if voters approve a tax increase in the Nov. 3 referendum.
Evans says there is a need to hire more personnel to handle an increased number of emergency calls in the district that includes 13 square miles of Winfield, as well as unincorporated sections near Warrenville, West Chicago and Wheaton.
If the tax rate hike is approved, it would generate roughly $2.2 million a year in extra revenue to increase staffing and improve facilities - including the dormant South Station.
Meanwhile, the owner of a $300,000 house, who pays $363 a year in property taxes to the district, would see that amount increase to $672. Evans said a resident with a comparable home in the Carol Stream Fire Protection District pays around $760, while one in the West Chicago Fire Protection District pays around $920.
"The goal of the referendum is all destined to go toward operations on the street," Evans said. "People to respond to people's emergencies and the infrastructure to support them. No additional administrative staff are going to be called for."
Evans answered questions on Monday as part of a Zoom meeting hosted by Winfield resident Darren Maiman. The nearly 90-minute session was recorded and can be viewed at bit.ly/3nSKLZK with xH9pKvG& as the pass code.