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Residents press board on levies and senior tax relief; volunteers and EMS funding central to debate
Summary
Multiple residents criticized recent levies and urged ballot votes or alternative funding methods; volunteer fire/EMS leaders and supervisors described revenue needs, collection realities and possible senior relief strategies.
Several residents used the public comment period to press the board about recent tax levies, particularly the EMS/fire levy. David Gibbs (speaker 9) and others said levies should have been put to a citizen vote and that many county residents—particularly seniors on fixed incomes—are struggling to pay increased bills.
Joey Shneff, chief of the Crewe volunteer fire department (speaker 8), clarified that the three volunteer departments have had no increase in funds from the levy in the last three years and noted the shift of certain funding from the general fund to the tax levy. "We are all volunteers... the 3 fire departments has had no increase in the last 3 years," he told the board while asking residents not to direct anger at volunteers. Board members discussed collection realities, potential per‑capita charges, and the difficulty of imposing fees on populations (such as residents of residential facilities) who do not hold taxable property.
Supervisors said state code requires the county to provide EMS and that revenue must be found to maintain staffing, equipment and ambulances—estimates discussed included per‑capita calculations and admission that collection rates for ambulance billing are relatively low (board referenced ~54% collection of billing). Several supervisors also pledged to examine senior relief options under state code and to keep the issue available in work sessions ahead of the budget process.
