PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue is hoping voters will push through a 0.67 mills ad-valorem tax increase on Nov. 8, so they can continue to operate.
“We've been serving these areas since 1951, and at our current projection, we're going to be out of money in 2025,” Chief Jeffrey Davidson said.
The department serves from Bellair Shore to Indian Shores, and they say they need more money to keep up with the growing population.
"The call volume, year after year for this area, we've gone up over 10% every year," Davidson said. "Our mainland station, the call volume there went up last year, went up 33%."
Davidson says the money would be crucial in funding equipment and staffing.
"That 0.67 covers all of our needs, our capital needs, our personnel needs," Davidson said.
The increase would mean that homeowners would pay an additional $67 for every $100,000 of taxable value for their home, Davidson says they just want to even the playing field.
"We're the only professional firefighting organization in the entire state that does not have an ad valorem tax," he said. "And out of the 18 fire departments in Pinellas County, we're the only one who does not have an ad valorem tax."
The Suncoast Fire and Rescue Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to put the measure on the ballot. Commissioner David Gardella voted against it. According to the commissioner's meeting minutes, he believes the plan is "too aggressive."