Excerpts from DailyHerald.com:
The Hampshire Fire Protection District is making another push this fall to increase property taxes after two previous failures. This time, the district is hoping voters will support a new referendum on the November 6 ballot.
If approved, the proposal would allow the fire district to impose a 0.1% tax, generating an estimated $236,000 annually. This funding would be used to replace outdated equipment and hire more staff, according to Deputy Chief Trevor Herrmann.
A homeowner with a $200,000 property would pay an additional $67 per year in taxes if the measure passes. The funds would also help purchase a new fire engine costing around $600,000 and an ambulance priced at $200,000, with officials also seeking grants to reduce costs.
Currently, the only fire station in the district, located at 202 Washington Ave., is staffed by five personnel just 25% of the time, while other shifts have four people. To better handle the growing number of emergency calls — over 1,200 annually — the district wants to increase staffing to five or six firefighters per shift, which would require hiring about five part-time personnel.
Having more on-duty firefighters can make a big difference when multiple emergencies occur simultaneously. Last year, that scenario happened nearly 200 times, highlighting the need for better coverage.
Previous attempts to raise taxes were rejected by voters in recent elections. This time, the district is taking a more proactive approach, using social media, community meetings, and a citizen advisory committee to build support for the proposal.
In 2017, the district tried a similar initiative but failed to pass a second referendum asking for a 0.15% tax increase. That money was meant to fund a second fire station near Route 20 and Interstate 90, an area experiencing rapid growth. Now, the district is exploring options to build a second station on the north side without requiring further tax increases.
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