In order to maintain the current fire and emergency medical services the Addison Township Fire Department provides to its residents, township officials will ask voters to renew a 0.75-mill operating millage in the Aug. 8 election.
The current 0.75-mill tax expired Dec. 31, 2005. Headlee rollbacks had reduced this rate to 0.7017 for the final levy.
If approved, the seven-year, 0.75-millage would generate an estimated $244,537.10 for the department.
‘This is a millage that supports one-third of our operating tax revenues,? Addison Fire Chief George Spencer said to the board. ‘It’s a significant part of supporting fire department operations, including both fire stations and our Advanced Life Support (ALS) program.?
The fire department currently has a total five millages, which Spencer said can be confusing to some residents.
Two fire capital millages, which have nothing to do with the operating millages, were passed in 1972 at 0.50-mills and in 1988 at 0.25-mills. They both expire in 2008. Headlee rollbacks have reduced the capital rates to a combined 0.68 mill.
There are three operating millages at 0.75 mills each. The one being sought for renewal was re-authorized in 2002.
The other two millages will be up for renewal in 2008 and 2010. Headlee rollbacks have reduced the latter millage to 0.5817 mill.
Spencer hopes residents will show their support for the fire department by renewing this third of the operating millage ‘so that we can still continue the service that we have.?
‘Each one of our operating millages comes up every two years so the voters constantly have the chance to tell us how they think we’re doing and we think that’s a very important thing,? he said. ‘It keeps us on our toes and keeps us responsive to what our customers want out there.?