Talk of The Villages Florida - Fire Protection Assessment

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Windguy (Post 1919860)

Most of their work is as paramedics. Don’t think of it as the number of fires, but how often you hear their sirens.

I would be interested to know how the paramedic work they do interfaces with Medicare and other health insurance. Does the Fire Department and their paramedics get reimbursement from health insurance? Medicare covers emergency ambulance services. Just asking.

Sounds like he’s a pretty dumb. The fire department will always put out fires that’s what they do !!

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsmall22204 (Post 1919808)

What a ridiculous idea. Communities need fire protection. If you are not willing to pay for it, you can move.

.
Communities do need fire protection. If you read and thought about the statements made, you would see that was never never never a point of contention. So are you really saying, ........ We need fire protection, and if the powers-that-be decide to raise the cost 300%, we should just pay and not debate it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by CWGUY (Post 1919643)

:ohdear: Not what my notice said. :read:

What did you get? No increase in maximum assessment? I don't mind paying for fire protection but $125 to $360 does not sound reasonable increase..

Shouldn't the new homes bear this burden?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Number 10 GI (Post 1919640)

More homes require more fire stations. I don't like unnecessary taxes any more than the other person but to me a tax for fire protection is a necessary tax I can live with. You will pay for it one way or the other, through an assessment or higher property taxes. Nothing is free that I have found so far.

Throughout history it has always been the same. Everyone wants, but wants someone else to pay for it. It will not happen but wouldn't it be great if, we had a computer program
where they said Mr. Dave, I see you think we need, more teachers? more Police? More spraying? More xxxxx? Your increased cost for ........... will be ..............

We all tend not to think about OUR cost.

I am amazed that some people don't read their local news. In Wildwood the city lost and 82 million dollar judgment. They have to make it up somewhere. Also you may not realize it, but generally speaking when somebody calls 911 with a medical emergency not only do the ambulances magically appear but the first people on the scene are usually the first aid providers from the fire stations. So it's certainly doesn't hurt they have more stations and more money to pay people that are medically qualified.

Stupidest idea I’ve heard in a long time, I know you stated you don’t agree, thankfully.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scbang (Post 1919914)

What did you get? No increase in maximum assessment? I don't mind paying for fire protection but $125 to $360 does not sound reasonable increase..

We usually get partial information on all of these posts. Most fees, TAXES, have limit to how much they can increase. This increase is almost 3x in one year. I expect something
is missing.

As far as our fire service, they also do EMS service. They do a great job.

I seem to recall a thread a while ago where villagers thought they should be paid more.
People, all of us, think someone else, NOT US, should pay for it-whatever it is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrown132 (Post 1919811)

the more homes and businesses you have the greater the tax base. Taxes and fire assessments should go down not up.

there it is !! Well said. Nothing else needs to be said.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Choro&Swing (Post 1919782)

I have an ex-brother-in-law who is a Libertarian. He believes that the fire departments should be privatized. People could decide whether or not they want to pay for fire protection. If they want it, they would pay a yearly fee, rather like insurance, say $350 a year. This would pay the costs of running the fire department, including salaries, supplies, and equipment. If there was a fire in the homes of those people, the fire department would come put it out. No further charge. Essentially, all the subscribers chip in to cover the costs.

However, those who didn’t want to pay the $350 a year could opt out and pay nothing. But if there was a fire, the fire department would show up and keep the homes of the neighbors safe. If the homeowner without coverage refused to sign the paperwork, the burning house would burn to the ground. If the homeowner did sign, the home would be saved if possible, but the homeowner would receive a fair bill from the fire department that includes all costs for putting out the fire, for training, for insurance, for hospital costs, etc. Say a minimum of $10,000, and easily ten times that amount.

He also believes that police protection should be for those who pay for it. There’s a burglary at your house? If you haven’t paid for police insurance and want help, you get billed for, say, the detectives, the court case, etc. I don’t agree with him.

Hi, I find your concept interesting simply because from the 18th and early 19th centuries that is just how fire insurance worked. Each homeowner would sign up with a particular "mutual fund" and pay a premium for fire protection. There would be a large metal tag on the house indicating the fire protection the homeowner had purchased and from which fund. When the fire brigade arrived, if they saw their tag on the house, they would put the fire out. If the tag was not there, or it was not their tag they would leave and let the house burn. Benjamin Franklin was among the first to set up a "mutual" fund of what he called a "Contributionship." His fund was so successful that by the 1780s more mutual fund companies began to be formed and the modern concept of Property/Casualty insurance began.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Number 10 GI (Post 1919640)

What about economy of scale?

Are they doing a shell game with the budget and moving the Fire Department line item to an ASSESSMENT ? If so ,,',,why ? AND, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FD LINE ITEM MONEY. COULD ???,, It be used as an offset to a tax decrease. Oh,,, Let’s hope not a shell game.

That’s a very rude reply. Costs don’t triple overnight, and no one should have a blank check, regardless of the service.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWish (Post 1919965)

That’s a very rude reply. Costs don’t triple overnight, and no one should have a blank check, regardless of the service.

My original comment was to the person who said they should pay it or move out, only put more rudely.