Friday, October 29, 1999
Fire levies would aid growing areas
Boom strains Union, Liberty services, crews
BY MICHAEL D. CLARK
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Officials from two of Butler County's fastest growing communities hope that voter approval of fire levies will help them maintain safety and service.
Both Liberty Township and adjacent Union Township have fire levies on Tuesday's ballot.
The two townships are in the middle of population booms that have strained their firefighting and emergency medi cal crews, worn on emergency equipment and prompted the construction of new fire stations to cover residential and commercial expansions.
Union Township is Butler County's fastest growing community, and fire and emergency runs have shown a corresponding jump in recent years, fire officials said. In 1993 the township's estimated population was 48,000; today it is estimated at more than 59,160 residents.
“We have had a 48 percent increase in calls since 1993 and calls are up 18 percent since September 1998,” said Union Township Assistant Fire Chief Mike Mays.
“We have built two new fire stations — at Beckett Road and at Tylers Place Road — but we continue to experience an increase in demands for services,” Assistant Chief Mays said.
Voters will be asked Tuesday to approve a 4.5-mill fire levy. The operating levy, which would pay for increases in fire personnel and equipment, is the first proposed property tax increase for the township's fire department since 1993.
The levy would increase property tax millage by 1 mill over the current 3.5 mill fire tax. Township trustees have said they will rescind the 3.5-mill fire tax should the proposed 4.5-mill levy be approved.
If approved, the 4.5-mill levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $137 annually, or 38 cents per day, he said.
“We are not increasing our equipment or personnel proportionately,” Union Township Trustee Catherine Stoker said.
The tax increase would allow the fire department to increase the number of full- and part-time firefighters — now numbering 145 — to 165.
The levy would raise about $6.9 million annually, and would include monies to re model Fire Station No. 2 at 7715 John Road, as well as buy new equipment.
In nearby Liberty Township the situation is similar, fire officials said.
“We are covering larger areas. People obviously see the need for increased services,” said Liberty Township Assistant Fire Chief John Detherage.
Liberty Township voters are asked to okay a five-year, 3-mill levy to expand fire and emergency medical services.
It would replace a 1.5-mill levy that expires at the end of the year. The new levy would raise about $912,000 each of the next five years, and will be used to hire additional full- time employees.
The owner of a house with a market value of $100,000 would pay an additional $45 annually. Liberty Township's population is estimated at more than 20,000, up from 9,200 in 1990. As a result, the fire department is busier: The number of life squad and fire runs jumped from about 700 in 1994 to nearly 1,050 in 1996.
Mr. Detherage also explained that Liberty firefighters and emergency medical crews will soon have five miles of the Butler Regional Highway, which cuts through Liberty Township, to cover. The township also will share responsibility for seven miles of Interstate 75.
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