The 2015 budget put forth by the Plumsted Board of Fire Commissioners will be reviewed by the Plumsted Township Committee following voters’ rejection of the proposed tax levy in the Feb. 21 fire election.
Voters rejected the commissioners’ proposed tax levy for the third year in a row. This year, the tax levy was defeated in a vote of 88-68.
The commissioners proposed collecting $1.58 million in local fire district taxes to support a $2 million budget for 2015.
The budget will now be reviewed by the members of the governing body who have the authority to certify a local tax levy to support firefighting and first aid operations in the municipality.
The local tax levy is the total amount of money paid by all property owners in Plumsted to support the operation of the New Egypt Fire Company and the New Egypt First Aid Squad. The remainder of the budget is supported by other revenues.
Fire district officials said the turnout and result of the election were a disappointment to staff members who made an effort to get more residents involved in the process.
“I know the weather was bad, but the fact that [such a] few voters can make a statement in regard to emergency services in the township and for the whole fire district is upsetting,” Emergency Medical Services head Jodi Byrne said. “It affects the environment for the volunteer and career staff, and it is bad for morale.”
Despite making an attempt to inform residents about budget hearings and presentations, Byrne said no more than two individuals showed up to learn about the fire district’s proposed spending plan.
According to officials, the proposed budget for 2015 showed a $91,000 increase over 2014 and a $27,000 increase in the tax levy.
Byrne said those increases stemmed from the district’s need to stay up to date with existing requirements.
“We have not budgeted for any new apparatus. Anything that was budgeted was for things that needed to be upgraded to remain within compliance,” Byrne said. “We felt that with such a small increase, we would have been able to pass the budget.” According to the proposed budget, the fire district tax rate would have increased from 19.8 cents to 20.2 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
The owner of a home assessed at the current township average of $279,100 would have paid about $564 in fire district taxes in 2015. In 2014, the average home was assessed at $276,048 and that homeowner paid about $546 in fire district taxes.
When municipal officials certify a tax levy for the fire district, the final tax rate for 2015 will be known and the amount of increase or decrease in fire district taxes can be calculated.
Following the rejection of the tax levy by voters in February 2014, the Township Committee left the commissioners’ proposed tax levy and budget untouched. Committee members said they were unable to find anything that could be trimmed to produce a significant savings for property owners.
Regardless of what happens to the 2015 budget, Byrne said the men and women who serve in a volunteer or paid capacity in the fire district will continue to serve the people of Plumsted.
“It is our job to go out of the building every day,” Byrne said. “People call, they need help and we provide the service for them.”
Two candidates who ran unopposed were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Fire Commissioners. According to fire district officials, incumbent Dave Gindlesperger and newcomer Robert Brady were elected to the board with 105 and 84 votes, respectively.