Fire chiefs from Bayshore, North Fort Myers Shores and Tice predict more layoffs

http://www.news-press.com/article/20101107/NEWS0107/11070374/Fire-chiefs-face-tough-calls

Three fire districts in northeast Lee County are weighing staff cuts after voters rejected higher tax rates.

The dire straits are fueling calls for consolidated fire districts. But chiefs say it will be a decade or more before that happens – if it happens at all.

In the meantime, chiefs from Bayshore, North Fort Myers Shores and Tice predict more layoffs, less apparatus and slower response times as sinking property values continue to drag down fire district taxes.

Tice this year has already cut a third of a 34-member force. Chiefs in Bayshore and Fort Myers Shores say they have enough reserves to postpone the deepest cuts for another year or two.

Bayshore Fire District millage cap increase request from 3.5 to 3.75

http://www.bayshorefire.org/

http://lowertaxesnow4lee.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/nfm-fire-district-balances-budget-without-tax-rate-increase/

http://www.northfortmyersneighbor.com/page/content.detail/id/507475/Bayshore-Fire-District-asking-for-millage-increase–chief-explains-why.html?nav=5164

By ANDREA GALABINSKI,   October 26, 2010

On the Nov. 2 ballot, the Bayshore Fire District will ask citizens in that district to approve a millage cap increase from 3.5 to 3.75 mills to help the district maintain its level of service.

Property Tax Appraisals Drop Again

http://www.news-press.net/data/dataWorkBench/index.php?dataset=815&mode=search

http://www.news-press.com/article/20100602/NEWS01/100601089/1005/ACC/Lee-County-s-taxable-property-value-drops-15-percent

The county, its cities and fire districts will have to raise tax rates or cut millions from next year’s budgets after another drop in property values.

New assessments from the county’s property appraiser released Tuesday show the taxable value of county property dropping to $54.9 billion in 2009 — down 15 percent from the year before and almost 40 percent from four years ago during the height of real estate market. The numbers will be used to calculate local governments’ 2010-11 budgets.

Fire District Employee Salary and Benefits

http://www.news-press.com/article/20091018/NEWS01/91017044/1075

http://www.news-press.com/firesalaries

http://www.leecontrol.com/FD.htm

Bayshore Fire-Rescue No Jobs Lost

http://northfortmyersneighbor.com/page/content.detail/id/503361/No-jobs-lost-at-Bayshore-Fire-District.html?nav=5164