West Manatee Fire Rescue District has spent the past few years building its non-transport advanced life support service.
Now, the service is officially incorporated in the district’s tax assessments.
WMFR commissioners voted 5-0 and 4-1 July 21 on two motions to reallocate funds from the district’s non-ad valorem tax assessments to cover its ALS service and to adopt a 4% increase in assessments for fiscal 2022-23, which begins Oct. 1.
Commissioner Al Robinson voted “no” to the second motion, increasing assessments for the upcoming fiscal year, citing concerns about the district’s spending.
The district’s non-transport ALS service provides similar critical care service as traditional emergency medical services but cannot transport patients to the hospital.
WMFR has built the service for more than three years and, by now, it has been incorporated at all three district stations and many of WMFR’s first responders have received paramedic training.
So the district moved to officially incorporate the service into its fire assessments and sent a June 21 letter to impacted taxpayers informing them of the proposed change.
At a July 19 first reading and public hearing, where commissioners discussed the reallocation and assessment increase, three people spoke in support of reallocating funds to support ALS services during public comment.
Commissioner Robert Bennett called the reallocation a “no-brainer” and said he was happy to see the district’s ALS efforts come so far.
The 4% assessment rate increase was not proposed to cover the services — which have been incorporated in the district’s past few budgets — but rather to match the annual personal growth index, cover rising insurance costs and build reserve funds.
The district increased fire assessment rates by 4% last year and 2.6% the prior year.
The district’s current rates include a $203.35 residential base rate and a $0.1199 additional charge for every square foot more than 1,000, as well as a $505.38 commercial base rate with a $0.2188 additional charge per square foot more than 1,000.
With the current rates, residential property owners pay $323.28 for a 2,000-square-foot home and $443.22 for a 3,000-square-foot home.
Commercial property owners pay $724.23 for a 2,000-square-foot building and $943.08 for a 3,000-square-foot building.
The district’s new rates include a $211.48 residential base rate and a $0.1247 additional charge for every square foot more than 1,000, and a $525.59 commercial base rate with a $0.2276 additional charge per square foot more than 1,000.
Under the new rates, residential property owners will pay $336.18 for a 2,000-square-foot home and $460.88 for a 3,000-square-foot home.
Commercial property owners will pay $753.19 for a 2,000-square-foot building and $980.79 for a 3,000-square-foot building.
There were no public comments for the assessment rate increase.
The WMFR commission will meet next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, at the district’s administration building, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton.