Voters will have a chance to decide in the June 28 primary election whether to approve a property tax increase to provide more funds for the Oswego Fire Protection District amid a growing need for service.
The Oswego Fire Protection Board of Trustees on Monday unanimously approved putting the referendum question for the tax increase on the summer ballot.
If voters approve the tax hike, it would increase the average homeowner’s fire tax by about $99 annually, based on a home value of $300,000.
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“The board of trustees has worked hard seeking all avenues of funding before approving the ordinance to move forward with the rescue tax,” according to a news release from the Oswego Fire Protection District.
Voters rejected a tax hike for the district that was on the ballot in the April 6, 2021, election.
The Oswego Fire Protection District covers roughly 53 square miles that includes all of Oswego and parts of Montgomery, Plainfield and Yorkville, as well as some unincorporated areas in Will and Kendall counties.
In all, the fire department protects more than 70,000 residents compared to the approximately 27,000 residents it served in 2002, district officials said.
“The driving forces for the rescue tax are many but can be summarized by saying that it has been 20 years since the voters approved additional funding for the department,” district officials said in the news release.
The growth of the community and the subsequent demand for services, as well as the increased price of equipment and escalating operating costs, have outpaced current funding, the news release from the district said.
The Oswego Fire Protection District responded to more than 6,000 calls in 2021 compared to 2,000 calls in 2002, officials said.
According to district officials in the release, without the tax increase “we will not be able to provide the level of service we provide today. Ambulance availability will continue to decrease, and response times will increase. Our staff and trustees find this unacceptable and are seeking the increased funding in the best interests of our community.”
The district will be offering informational meetings to groups about the proposed tax increase.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News