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.

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.

62% of voters rejected FM Shores Fire District tax rate increase

http://www.news-press.com/article/20100525/NEWS0110/100525091/Fort-Myers-Shores-nixes-raising-taxes

Residents of the Fort Myers Shores Fire Department district voted against raising the maximum tax rate.

Of the district’s 5,064 registered voters, 307 cast ballots, and about 62 percent voted against the proposal.