The Town of Milton Fire Department has provided great service to the residents of our town at a great value. Our 4 year contact ends in 2020. For the 2021 contract the price of the services provided has tripled in cost. The contract price in 2020 was $72,920 and for a one year contract for 2021 the new cost on the contract is $225,198. We also believe that in 2022 that price may increase more to a possible $495,456 as this is what was estimated at a meeting in September of this year and no major increase in 2021. This is why we were seeking a $300,000 increase in our tax levy at a meeting of electors scheduled for Monday Nov 9th at 7pm. Without a contract for fire services most everyone in the town would not be able to get fire insurance or the cost of fire insurance for you home would be so expensive that it would be unaffordable.
The Town has not looked to increase our levy in 5 years and was not planning to look to increase our levy this year but based on this espense we must. Remember, the smallest portion of your tax bill is the taxes that come to the Town. 8 cents for every dollar you pay. For every $1000 you pay in taxes about $80 comes to the town. Without the increase very little road work would be done in 2021 as the road work budget is the only flexible account. All other accounts are a set amount to be paid.
While the increase in our contract price is shoking, you need to understand why the increase. At this point, Milton and nearly all other fire departments are having problems recruiting fire fighters. At what they are currently be paid, you could make better money working as a greeter at Walmart. Fire departments need to ensure they are prepared to handle multiple calls. Several years ago, the Milton Fire Departmen and the Janesville Fire Department came to an agreement that both would repsond to emergency calls and the first one on sight would handle the emergency and the other would go back. This agreement should make us all sleep better at night know the speed of the repsonse will happen. Again this is a large increase but we need to support our emergency responders and building that team for the future and for the increase in population for all areas they cover. Please support the increase in tax levi limit for the future of the emergency services.