Commissioner proposes fire-option tax referendum to fund stations, apparatus and lower ISO ratings

A Meigs County commissioner proposed putting an optional fire tax before voters to generate a dedicated revenue stream for fire and emergency medical services, saying the levy would let the public directly fund stations, apparatus and personnel needed to improve local ISO fire-protection ratings. The commissioner cited the enabling statute (stated in the meeting as 5-17-106) and described the tax as an option the county could add to a referendum rather than increasing general property-tax rates.

The commissioner outlined the county’s emergency-services strain: aging apparatus, shortages of personnel and equipment starting to fail. “If the majority said yes, everybody gets to pay for each piece of property,” the commissioner said while describing a model in which subscriptions or an option tax would generate roughly $500,000 annually to support new stations and apparatus over a multi-year buildout. He argued that investing in fire protection could lower the ISO class and deliver homeowner insurance savings, estimating that some property owners could save “between $300 and $500 annually” on home insurance if ratings improved.

Commission discussion focused on cost, timing and scope. The speaker warned that building out stations and equipment would not be immediate—he said it would take “at least 5 years” to carry out the full plan—and noted implementation risks tied to capital costs, hiring and the county’s ability to administer a new special tax. The commissioner also flagged political timing as a factor for development projects elsewhere, noting a gubernatorial transition could change priorities for state partners.

No formal motion or vote to place the fire tax on a ballot appears in the transcript; the proposal was presented for discussion and to inform potential next steps. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about how the tax would appear on tax bills and whether different parcel types would be treated differently; staff or legal steps to schedule a referendum were not finalized in the session.