CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga (WSAV) — Chatham County officials proposed a new fire tax at Friday’s regular meeting, which could change how much residents pay.
“We were not comfortable, nor were the citizens comfortable with the level of fire services that were being received,” Chatham County Chairman Chester Ellis told News 3.
He described to News 3 what the condition of the fire protection services were before the county took over on July 1. Now, what was once a separate bill called a “fire fee,” could possibly become a fire tax which would make it part of your property taxes sometime next year.
“The county itself now owns the fire department, and that's a part of our service delivery,” Ellis said. “And because it's in service delivery, all our service delivery comes out of taxes, not fees.”
This comes after the county got rid of a third-party vendor, which rendered fire service to unincorporated Chatham County. Residents were once charged 14 cents per square foot, a formula the chairman said will no longer apply.
Savannah small businesses see drop in holiday sales
County officials are now trying to figure out ways to fund the department, including salaries for its workers.
“We are looking at putting up new firehouse houses and new fire stations and all this money collected with fire tax will go to the service of the fire department,” Ellis said.
The proposed fire tax is still in its early stages. Ellis told News 3 that the commission should have a better idea of how residents will be taxed before Dec. 20, which is the next regular meeting.
“Right now, nobody should be getting a fire fee bill,” Ellis said. “We have to work out the logistics of how it is going to be, and we have to get with the board of assessors that we have to give with the tax commissioner on how those taxes will be collected.”
He added, “We are trying to meet that demand with the demand before it gets beyond what we are capable of handling. So, we are looking at how exactly what the impact of the fire tax will be on the unincorporated area”
Residents are encouraged to voice their opinions at the next meeting on Dec. 20.
