Warrick County hears township requests at public-safety tax hearing; council rejects 5% allocation increase

Warrick County Council held a public hearing on the county’s Public Safety Local Income Tax (PSLIT) and heard appeals from township trustees and fire chiefs seeking funds for vehicles and station staffing, then voted against a proposal to increase next year’s PSLIT allocations by 5%.

The hearing opened with Pigeon Township Trustee Mike Masoner presenting a request for funds to replace an aging brush truck. “Our brush truck is a 1988 model… it is the oldest truck in our fleet. It has been cobbled together by our members. We can’t really afford to take it somewhere and have it worked on,” Masoner said. He said the township hopes a single new vehicle could replace two failing units and described a target cost of roughly $70,000–$80,000 for a crew cab, 4-wheel-drive unit outfitted with a 200‑gallon tank and pump.

Ohio Township Trustee Chad Bennett and Ohio Township Fire Chief Scott Forman told the council the township’s single staffed station covers a large population and a high…