Fire district reformation will provide needed funds
Rural residents to vote on issue in November
By LARRY MEYER
ARGUS OBSERVER
Saturday, August 16, 2008 10:23 PM PDT
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| Zach Reece, Nyssa firefighter, stands next to one of the Nyssa Rural Fire Protection District trucks. The rural fire district is attempting to raise additional revenue by reforming to raise its tax rate. |
NYSSA — Because of a financial crunch, the Nyssa Rural Fire Protection District is trying to reinvent itself by re-forming its district to raise additional funds and continue to operate and purchase the equipment and upgrades the department needs.
Patrons of the proposed district will be asked to approve the new district and a higher tax rate in the November general election. Boundaries for the proposed district will be the same except for the exclusion of properties being annexed by the city.
The closure of the Amalgamated Sugar Company’s plant at Nyssa severely reduced the amount of tax revenue the fire district received when the property value was lowered.
“The sugar factory was our biggest source of revenue,” Jim Farmer, fire district secretary, said.
Because state law does not allow voters to raise a district’s permanent tax rate once it has been set, the district has to be disbanded and reformed to be able to set a new, higher rate, Farmer explained. Voters will be asked to approve a new permanent tax rate of $.9425 per $1,000 of assessed value, beginning with the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The permanent tax rate for the existing district is about $.36 cents for $1,000 of value, Farmer said.
The Malheur County Court initiated the formation of the new district and held two public hearings, where only the proponents attended. A new board will also need to be elected, and those interested should file with the county clerk’s office by Aug. 26 to get on the ballot.
“We’ve had inflation like everyone else,” Farmer said. “We need more equipment.”
Not only did the district lose money when the valuation went down on the factory property, it will lose the property tax revenue from Amalgamated completely now that the property has been annexed by the city. On top of the needs list is the rural district’s pumper truck.
“It’s over 20 years old,” Farmer said. “It needs significant repairs.”
The district also needs to update individual pieces of equipment for the firefighters, he said.
