Talk of The Villages Florida - Fire Protection Assessment

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- The Villages, Florida, General Discussion (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/)

- - Fire Protection Assessment (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/fire-protection-assessment-317764/)

Quote:

Originally Posted by coconutmama (Post 1920023)

You were not the only one to receive the notice. Yes, it was for the same amount

Considering that the starting pay is $13.04/hr with max of about $20/hr, the increase doesn’t appear to be going where it needs to.

The proposed increase is ridiculous. The addition of all those thousands of new houses should cover any needed fire stations. When was the last audit? And done by whom?

We don't have a "city" budget. We don't need any audits - right? We don't need to be questioning a 300% increase. We just need to get our checks out and pay it. I have never seen so many people who just seem to want to pay a 300% tax!

For years i was responsible for piblic safety budgets. Including police and fire. This increase has questionable optics.

Some retirees could “ die by a thousand cuts”. Just saying,,,,, know what your doing !

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelfmi (Post 1920207)

The real estate broker before you buy will never tell you about these special assessments. Thank you for tell us about these assessments this is one of the many things that they can do after you buy at the villages. NOT VERY GOOD FOR BUYERS.

You have heard of, due diligence, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAVES (Post 1919917)

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.

Brilliant

Firefighters work for the county, ambulances are contracted out and that is the problem.

Disagree with how assessments work

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.

I have to disagree with this reply. An assessment is assessed on everybody. The more houses the more assessments to cover any additional costs! You don't need to raise the assessment to cover the cost the fact that there are more houses and more assessments should cover the costs. If there is a need because of inflation to increase revenue it would never be at a 300% rate! Just like all governments they need to work within the means that were set forth at the beginning. Increasing an assessment 300% is ridiculous!

Quote:

Originally Posted by allsport (Post 1920521)

Firefighters work for the county, ambulances are contracted out and that is the problem.

The ambulance companies are reimbursed by health insurance, but the Fire Department is funded by taxes. About 58 percent of firefighter calls are for medical emergencies. So, apparently, if a fire truck and an ambulance both respond to a call, the ambulance company will file an insurance claim, but the Fire Department will not. This sounds like redundancy, but maybe it is worth the cost to have firefighters and an ambulance respond to medical emergencies.

It seems to me that too many fire departments use the fire trucks every time an ambulance goes out. That, in my opinion, is not good use of resources. If the fire trucks only went out when they were truly needed, they could not justify adding more trucks and personnel. The only explanation I have been given by firemen for this, is the paramedics might need help lifting a heavy patient. Well, seems like it would be an easy question for 911 dispatchers to ask before deploying an ambulance, which already has 2 paramedics. Ask our commissioners the question and perhaps save some assessments in the future?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Civicar (Post 1920632)

Yes, 58 percent of their deployments are for medical emergencies, not fires.

This is only a CAP increase at this time. The last time they increased the cap was 14 years ago, and the yearly increases finally caught up to that cap. They made the CAP large enough again to be able to suffice for several upcoming smaller increases. Every time they send out a required notice, it costs $39,000 .... So by making the cap large they won't have to send out a notice for several years again. There will be a small increase coming up, though ... As there has been needed all along ( like all other expenses that go up through the years). The letter did not explain any of this well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Civicar (Post 1920632)

They usually get there first and are better trained. If it were my life it would matter to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldtimes (Post 1920651)

They usually get there first and are better trained. If it were my life it would matter to me.

We have lived here 11 years, same Village, same street. There have probably been between 2 and 3 dozen non fire emergency calls responded to in that time. Though I can't prove it, the fire department crews/medics have arrived on scene 1st, every time. They are an extremely valuable asset to our aging population.

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.

St Louis County in Missouri relied upon private fire companies through most of the 1950s. Then there were a few instances of fire companies letting houses burn down. So, elections were held and lots of little public fire protection districts were set up, and everyone was happy for about forty years. Then the firefighters unions began to get their people elected to the fire protection district boards, and suddenly salaries went way up. The union kept management on board by keeping white shirt salaries higher than union rate. Taxes went up too, much hand wringing and crying foul, but not much done because the firefighters' unions were well organized. Count your blessings, and stay registered to vote, and keep your eyes and ears open.

Ems assessment update

No public agency should wait 12 years or more to solicit a request for update.
Bad management. A 5 year plan is what is needed. This would keep the updated
amount in focus. Nobody should be planning their budgets for 12 years from now.
Come on...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bagboy (Post 1920658)

And then in a new neighborhood barely a year old, the house behind us caught on fire and did substantial smoke damage requiring the house to be taken back to it’s bones to be repaired. The cause of the fire was due to an exploding battery for a cordless lawn mower. The owners were out of their house for over a year.