Title
FY2027 Funding Options for Volunteer Fire Departments (VFDs) and Tax Rates for Fire Protection Service Districts (FPSDs)
Action
ACTION:
Receive information regarding VFD funding options and potential tax rates for the FPSDs.
Staff Contact: Ebenezer Gujjarlapudi, P.E., Director, Land Use & Environmental Services Agency
Presentation: Yes
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
Since 2012, several volunteer fire departments in the extra territorial jurisdictions (ETJs) of the City of Charlotte and the towns have been funded through a fire service district tax.
In 2013, Mecklenburg County levied a Fire Protection Service District (FPSD) tax to pay for fire services in the unincorporated areas. A total of five service districts were created to service the ETJs in the County. The ETJs include geography outside the four towns (Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville and Mint Hill) and the City of Charlotte. These districts were created to fund the cost of providing fire protection services to all residents in the service district, with the cost burden carried by the service district property owners, through the fire protection service districts.
This briefing provides the Board of County Commissioners with the requests received from the VFDs in the Charlotte ETJ and a recommended option with a corresponding tax rates.
Feedback received by the staff would inform the proposed tax rate that will be included in the County Manager budget proposal to the BOCC.
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
Will be presented as part of the County Manager Budget Proposal.