Comments on: Commission Gives Final OK To Fire Tax Increase To Staff South-End Stations http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations Local News for Molino, Bratt, McDavid, Century, Walnut Hill, Cantonment Sun, 05 Apr 2026 17:56:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: William Arnold http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations/comment-page-1#comment-327278 William Arnold Thu, 11 Aug 2016 18:52:53 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=258467#comment-327278 Problem: two large percentage increases in recent budgets. My father lives on a small fixed social security check and has no retirement because the companies he worked for in the defense business had to keep contracts for 10 years to provide retirement, thus no company retirement. These increases total 47% increase in this expense in just two budget cycles! Solution: Separate ambulance runs from the fire department. This reduces the number of personnel because the calls will be drastically reduced. Also labor cost are much lower for an ambulance shift with $8-$10 per hour EMT's composing half the staffing verses all Paramedic or firefighter salaries. This will also reduce the number of engines/fire trucks needed and the number of stations. We ran a four city Ambulance service in Oklahoma City and this works. If you privatize the Ambulance they will also collect the insurance and ambulance fees more effectively. Lets run it like you owned it. Good business decisions are acceptable in government too. Think about your retired fixed income population. too. Problem: two large percentage increases in recent budgets. My father lives on a small fixed social security check and has no retirement because the companies he worked for in the defense business had to keep contracts for 10 years to provide retirement, thus no company retirement. These increases total 47% increase in this expense in just two budget cycles!
Solution: Separate ambulance runs from the fire department. This reduces the number of personnel because the calls will be drastically reduced. Also labor cost are much lower for an ambulance shift with $8-$10 per hour EMT’s composing half the staffing verses all Paramedic or firefighter salaries. This will also reduce the number of engines/fire trucks needed and the number of stations. We ran a four city Ambulance service in Oklahoma City and this works. If you privatize the Ambulance they will also collect the insurance and ambulance fees more effectively. Lets run it like you owned it. Good business decisions are acceptable in government too. Think about your retired fixed income population. too.

]]> By: Ponderosa hill http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations/comment-page-1#comment-326080 Ponderosa hill Sun, 24 Jul 2016 00:57:38 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=258467#comment-326080 I don't think they can add more tax to gas & diesel.....they're prolly max'd out.....so they find another way to tax. That's about all they know to do. But guess it's our fault, we put them in office I don’t think they can add more tax to gas & diesel…..they’re prolly max’d out…..so they find another way to tax. That’s about all they know to do. But guess it’s our fault, we put them in office

]]> By: Retired http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations/comment-page-1#comment-325885 Retired Thu, 21 Jul 2016 20:16:54 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=258467#comment-325885 Is this a tax or a fee? What is the difference? By definition tax has the primary purpose of raising revenue, a fee recoups the cost of providing a service for the beneficiary. Understanding the differences between tax and fees.In order to protect taxpayers many state constitution require procedural steps and limitations that apply only to tax increases. These protective steps can be undermined if the legislature circumvents them by merely relabeling what would otherwise be a tax. The article states Steve Barry voted against this because it does not benefit the people in district five. I do not think the procedures of adding this FEE benefits me therefore should not be arbitrarily added to my TAX bill. Is this a tax or a fee? What is the difference? By definition tax has the primary purpose of raising revenue, a fee recoups the cost of providing a service for the beneficiary. Understanding the differences between tax and fees.In order to protect taxpayers many state constitution require procedural steps and limitations that apply only to tax increases. These protective steps can be undermined if the legislature circumvents them by merely relabeling what would otherwise be a tax.
The article states Steve Barry voted against this because it does not benefit the people in district five.
I do not think the procedures of adding this FEE benefits me therefore should not be arbitrarily added to my TAX bill.

]]> By: angelique http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations/comment-page-1#comment-325866 angelique Thu, 21 Jul 2016 14:57:21 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=258467#comment-325866 More firemen? sounds great! that's what I would assume my tax dollars are for. ty for saving our homes. More firemen? sounds great! that’s what I would assume my tax dollars are for. ty for saving our homes.

]]> By: seeking office http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations/comment-page-1#comment-325799 seeking office Wed, 20 Jul 2016 19:12:10 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=258467#comment-325799 @c.w. and Lou - its not all for the south end. the volunteers (north and south) are getting stipend increases. @Fire mom - It is the IAFF Union (career firefighters) goal to run off all the volunteers. Less volunteers = more union jobs. The county's hands are tied and we all know administration isn't going to go against the union. @big picture - I don't disagree with your comment but I would like you to look at the bigger picture. Why are we hiring firefighters to EMS jobs. Its much cheaper to hire a paramedic, an EMT, and buy an ambulance than it is to hire a lieutenant, 3 firefighters, maintain a fire station, and buy a fire truck. I wonder why the commissioners haven't looked at the number of medical calls that fire is dispatched to. Shame on them for going along for what someone is asking for and not asking why. @dumb question - the volunteers get a stipend for participating in a certain number of calls their station gets. a fire fighter gets about $300/month. That money comes from the budget already in place. The trucks and buildings are bought and maintained by the county. Volunteer firefighters that do not own their home pay fire tax. They also are considered employees since the county buys them t-shirts. The career guys that came into my son's station a few months ago literally took plaques and memorabilia out of the station and threw it in the dumpster! And yet they wonder why career and volunteer guys cant get along and work side by side. I certainly hope everyone knows that this WILL NOT BE THE LAST TAX INCREASE! They county is already in the promotion process to hire 3 more chiefs. Mark my words. Unless public safety gets a grip on this mess, we're in for even higher taxes. @c.w. and Lou – its not all for the south end. the volunteers (north and south) are getting stipend increases.

@Fire mom – It is the IAFF Union (career firefighters) goal to run off all the volunteers. Less volunteers = more union jobs. The county’s hands are tied and we all know administration isn’t going to go against the union.

@big picture – I don’t disagree with your comment but I would like you to look at the bigger picture. Why are we hiring firefighters to EMS jobs. Its much cheaper to hire a paramedic, an EMT, and buy an ambulance than it is to hire a lieutenant, 3 firefighters, maintain a fire station, and buy a fire truck. I wonder why the commissioners haven’t looked at the number of medical calls that fire is dispatched to. Shame on them for going along for what someone is asking for and not asking why.

@dumb question – the volunteers get a stipend for participating in a certain number of calls their station gets. a fire fighter gets about $300/month. That money comes from the budget already in place. The trucks and buildings are bought and maintained by the county. Volunteer firefighters that do not own their home pay fire tax. They also are considered employees since the county buys them t-shirts. The career guys that came into my son’s station a few months ago literally took plaques and memorabilia out of the station and threw it in the dumpster! And yet they wonder why career and volunteer guys cant get along and work side by side.

I certainly hope everyone knows that this WILL NOT BE THE LAST TAX INCREASE! They county is already in the promotion process to hire 3 more chiefs. Mark my words. Unless public safety gets a grip on this mess, we’re in for even higher taxes.

]]> By: Answer to DQ http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations/comment-page-1#comment-325796 Answer to DQ Wed, 20 Jul 2016 18:20:04 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=258467#comment-325796 Yes volunteers do receive a monthly stipend payment, all fire stations and equipment are purchased and maintained by the county, volunteer fire fighters additionally have workers comp through the County. Yes volunteers do receive a monthly stipend payment, all fire stations and equipment are purchased and maintained by the county, volunteer fire fighters additionally have workers comp through the County.

]]> By: replay to "the big picture" http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations/comment-page-1#comment-325793 replay to "the big picture" Wed, 20 Jul 2016 18:06:08 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=258467#comment-325793 You are right about the tornado.... south end station responded but north end crew also respond to south end during the flood a few years ago. So it goes both ways. As far as the train derailment hazmat unit responded....it is there job to respond to those type call but they was not first on scene or last to leave the scene. We have great paid department and there still is a few good firefighters on the volunteer side. I agree we do need another EMS crew on to split the difference between Ensley and Century. You are right about the tornado…. south end station responded but north end crew also respond to south end during the flood a few years ago. So it goes both ways. As far as the train derailment hazmat unit responded….it is there job to respond to those type call but they was not first on scene or last to leave the scene. We have great paid department and there still is a few good firefighters on the volunteer side. I agree we do need another EMS crew on to split the difference between Ensley and Century.

]]> By: Dumb Question http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations/comment-page-1#comment-325788 Dumb Question Wed, 20 Jul 2016 17:38:45 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=258467#comment-325788 Do the volunteer firefighters get paid? How is that funded? Seriously, are the buildings and trucks bought and maintained by the county.? Are the volunteer fire fighters compensated or insured? I appreciate them but does the term mean they get awakened durng the night and expected to come out for free then go work another job, then this tax come out of their other paycheck. I am sincere, and do want to know the whole picture. If they do not get paid and take time away from their families then this is not fair for them or district five. Steve Barry can vote no but if the others vote yes.then I want to look into this further. Do the volunteer firefighters get paid? How is that funded? Seriously, are the buildings and trucks bought and maintained by the county.? Are the volunteer fire fighters compensated or insured? I appreciate them but does the term mean they get awakened durng the night and expected to come out for free then go work another job, then this tax come out of their other paycheck. I am sincere, and do want to know the whole picture. If they do not get paid and take time away from their families then this is not fair for them or district five. Steve Barry can vote no but if the others vote yes.then I want to look into this further.

]]> By: Voter that votes against taxes http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations/comment-page-1#comment-325783 Voter that votes against taxes Wed, 20 Jul 2016 16:45:40 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=258467#comment-325783 Let's hand the CCs their pink slips so they can go learn to live in a fixed budget. They are like all politicians that get a high on taxes. Never learn to cut anything in order to live within their means. Let's start a movement to kick out these tax and spend politicians. Not many years back most of the fire protection was volunteer. Now it is all on the tax dole and politicians love to build their empires. If they stay in, next year it will go up again!!! Let’s hand the CCs their pink slips so they can go learn to live in a fixed budget. They are like all politicians that get a high on taxes. Never learn to cut anything in order to live within their means. Let’s start a movement to kick out these tax and spend politicians.
Not many years back most of the fire protection was volunteer. Now it is all on the tax dole and politicians love to build their empires.
If they stay in, next year it will go up again!!!

]]> By: the big picture http://www.northescambia.com/2016/07/commission-gives-final-ok-to-fire-tax-increase-to-staff-south-end-stations/comment-page-1#comment-325758 the big picture Wed, 20 Jul 2016 12:55:00 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=258467#comment-325758 @Lou FYI, the county firefighters have not had a raise either in the last 5 or so years other than a COLA. @Lou FYI, the county firefighters have not had a raise either in the last 5 or so years other than a COLA.

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