Excerpts from the Daily Herald:

Fire officials in the Fox Lake Fire Protection District are set to ask voters for a tax increase next month, citing concerns over aging equipment and staffing shortages at fire stations in unincorporated areas.

Chief Ron Hoehne explained that the district is facing a growing demand for emergency services, with a 8% increase in calls last year. To meet this demand, the department needs to add at least three full-time paramedics and boost funding for vehicle maintenance. Currently, each station has two paramedics per shift, but that’s not enough to cover all three shifts, especially as call volumes continue to rise.

The proposed tax hike would raise the ambulance service tax from $0.133 to $0.350 per $100 of equalized assessed value — a 21.7-cent increase. For a homeowner with a $100,000 property, this would mean an additional $72 per year. The district expects this to generate around $850,000 in new revenue in the first year.

However, the referendum will only apply to residents outside the village of Fox Lake, as the village is still under a three-year contract. The district serves approximately 33,000 people across 30 square miles, but the vote is specifically for the 22,000 residents living outside the village limits.

“We haven’t asked voters for more money since 1978,” Hoehne said. “But we’re at a point where we can’t keep going like this.”

Since 2008, home values in the district have dropped significantly, leading to lower tax revenues. The equalized assessed value fell from $580 million in 2008 to $396 million in 2013. Meanwhile, emergency call volumes have continued to climb, putting further strain on the department’s budget.

Hoehne added that the district had to use its limited reserves just to make it through last year. “We're running a break-even budget now,” he said. “But if something big happens — like a major equipment failure or a disaster — it could really hurt us.”

The district currently operates 26 vehicles, many of which are aging and require more frequent maintenance due to increased usage. With rising costs and limited funds, the situation has become unsustainable without additional support.

If approved, the tax increase would bring the ambulance rate in line with neighboring communities such as Fox River Grove, Long Grove, Lake Villa Township, and Lake Zurich.

Thanks Dan & Ron

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