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Salem Fire and Rescue asks Burke County commissioners to raise tax rate to 0.100 to cover new engine and rising costs
Summary
Salem Fire and Rescue requested the Burke County Board of Commissioners consider raising its fire tax rate from 0.0716 to 0.100 to fund a new $943,000 engine, mortgage payments and increasing operating costs; the board voted to move the item to a decision at its regular meeting in two weeks and asked county staff for guidance.
Salem Fire and Rescue Chief Charles Autry told the Burke County Board of Commissioners on April 7 that the department is asking the county to raise its fire tax rate from 0.0716 to 0.100 to cover the purchase of a replacement engine and mounting operating costs.
The request matters because the department has a $943,000 contract for a new engine, must have financing in place by the end of 2025 and expects both mortgage and vehicle payments that will increase annual operating costs. "We're here today to request an increase in our tax rate from 0.0716 to 0.1," Chief Charles Autry said.
Autry told commissioners Salem had historically kept one of the county's lowest fire tax rates and previously went "revenue neutral" after a substantial reappraisal. The department saved roughly $1.5 million over about 10 years and moved into a…
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