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Fire chief urges state bed-tax change to fund Hocking County emergency services
Summary
Louisville Fire Chief Bush Aliphine told Hocking County commissioners that growing tourism has increased emergency runs and that a state operating-budget amendment to add a percentage to county bed taxes is being pursued to fund fire, EMS and the sheriff's office.
Louisville Fire Chief Bush Aliphine told the Hocking County Board of Commissioners on March 6 that rising tourism has increased calls for emergency services and that supporters are pursuing a state operating‑budget amendment to add a percentage to the county bed tax to fund public safety.
Aliphine said the county collected about $3,086,000 in lodging (bed) tax in 2024, up from $2,675,000 in 2022, a roughly $410,000 increase. He said the increase in overnight visitors has driven more out‑of‑area emergency runs: "We finished 393 runs [in 2024]. . . . You go back 10 years, we had 222 in 2014 — the 77% increase in runs." He attributed a sizable share of recent runs to nonresidents and visitors in short‑term rentals and park areas.
Aliphine asked the commissioners to draft a letter on county letterhead to state legislators; he said a letter he circulated to state representatives in August had not produced a county follow‑up. He also reported that, separately, supporters are working to include an adjustment in the state operating budget so a change could take effect without a separate bill if the budget amendment is approved.
Commissioners and staff asked clarifying questions about how any additional bed‑tax revenues would be allocated. Aliphine said the proposed designation is for "public safety in the county which will cover fire, EMS, and the sheriff's office." He said earlier local proposals he sought envisioned a split between fire and EMS but that final allocation details are not defined at the state level yet.
Aliphine described operational impacts tied to tourism growth: an increase in vehicle‑accident calls, motor‑vehicle extractions and rescues in park areas, several Airbnb‑related responses and higher weekday/weekend staffing needs. He presented rough estimates for adding station staffing (four positions on rotating 12‑hour shifts) with wage cost scenarios, and said ambulance and sheriff tracking of resident versus nonresident calls has just begun and may inform future funding or budget amendments.
No formal county action on the bed‑tax proposal was taken at the meeting; Aliphine described state‑level activity and local data needs. He also raised separate property and land‑bank issues (discussed elsewhere in the meeting).
