Rocky Mountain Fire Protection District Ballot Issue 5A: Yes on Tax Increase

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Rocky Mountain Fire Protection District Ballot Issue 5A

Incremental mill levy increase to maintain or replace old trucks

Yes

No

If passed, this ballot issue would increase Rocky Mountain Fire Protection District
residents’ taxes to pay for the fire department’s increasing costs of
operations, as well as the maintenance of old and acquisition of new
fire trucks. Fire trucks are typically used for about 15 years before
they are retired to become secondary or back up vehicles. The increase
in taxes will provide for new fire trucks once the old ones reach 15
years. Of the 15 fire trucks currently in use, seven of them are 15
years or older.

The
Rocky Mountain Fire Protection District provides community services to
roughly 32,000 residents in 65 square miles of Boulder and Jefferson
counties, including Flagstaff, Eldorado and Superior, in addition to
servicing a major power generation plant, the National Renewable Energy
Lab, water treatment plants for two neighboring cities and the Rocky
Flats Environmental Site.

The
Rocky Mountain Fire District is proposing an incremental mill levy
increase of 8 mills. The first year’s 4-mill increase comes out to $150
for a $500,000 home, followed by one mill, or about $37, each year for
the following four years. The first fiscal year would see the district
funded by an additional $1.4 million. The Rocky Mountain Fire District
is currently operating on about $3.8 million, which is about the same
amount as the 2009 budget for the district. We vote yes.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com