The MSBU is the MOST regressive of any property taxation as it shifts the largest percentage of the burden to the people with the least ability to pay the cost. It eats away at the homestead exemption quietly until there is no benefit to having a homestead exemption on your property. This affects not only people with homes valued under $75,000 but also unfairly shifts the burden to seniors, retirees, others on fixed incomes.

In blunt terms…the better off and rich get a free ride on the backs of the people with lower incomes.

It’s also the type of taxation that’s the easiest abused by the powers-that-be continuing to treat it as a piggy bank to be raided at will. “Just raise the fire fee…it’s only another $25 or $50″ has become the BCC cry ever since year #3 of the fire fee being instituted.

The fire service fee should be a tax based on a millage rate and NOT a “flat fee per property” method. I’m sure the people with new $200k plus homes and the owners of million-dollar condos at the beach would disagree that they should have to pay more than someone with a 25-year-old mobile home and lot or a $50k house in any one of the many older subdivisions in Pensacola…but would you really expect them to EVER think they should pay their fair share for anything?

Jeff Bergosh understands these issues and it’s one of the reasons he is so adamantly against EVER raising the MSBU again.

At this time seeking a New Fire Chief maybe a good thing, but how much change will they be allowed to make and how will the BCC and County Administration support a new Fire Chief to fix all the issues? As it seem in the past few new chief’s were hired only for them to see what they are told never happens and move on as well. Why would any one seek to come here to take over a system that has all the issues that ECFR has. in Manpower, Aged Trucks, Poor Budget and so on..

Can anyone blame any Firefighter for leaving for better pay and surely better benefits. Has any one in the County looked into what it really costs to hire new Firefighters only to have them move to a better paying department in a few years.. We all have left Jobs for a better position to provide for our families.

Looks like the BCC has been trying to run the ECFR since 2008 and since then been having issues going on. May be time to do the right thing and have a Professional Consulting Service come in and see what has to be done to make the ECFR a properly working Department in the County. Yes it will cost money but having outsider taking a in depth look and follow their recommendations will save money in the long run for the County.. .

I feel the time for the citizens to come out and let the commissioner how they feel that the Public Safety is in need of an overhaul and a budget to support the needs of the ECFR not just when a crises arise and do a quick fix.

Citizens Safety is nothing to be taken lightly as it seems to be now.

(Also really tired of the phrase “Just Sayin’”)