Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Renews Effort to Seek Simplified Fire Funding

Referendum reducing annual charges to almost all improved residential and business properties to appear on August 18th Primary Ballot

On Tuesday, April 28, the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District approved a resolution to move forward on a referendum that addresses fairly sharing the costs of emergency fire, rescue, and other services among property owners in the District. This referendum will be on the primary election voting ballot, which takes place on August 18, 2020.

In this voting referendum, the District is seeking approval from Lehigh Acres Fire Control District voters to replace the current demand-based assessment with a simplified fire methodology. Under this simplified fire methodology, property owners would pay an annual assessment not exceeding $162 per parcel plus $.93 per $1,000 of value of improvements on a parcel of land. This simplified approach works to achieve the goal of making the assessment fairer to all property owners of the District and has been tested and approved by Florida’s Supreme Court in other jurisdictions.

The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District (District) currently serves 142 square miles of subdivided parcels in eastern Lee County. After the recession in 2009, the District moved to a demand-based method with a “non-ad Valorem assessment” to fund the District which began in 2015. This approach has not satisfied the public perception of fairness in sharing costs between homeowners and owners of vacant lots. This demand-based method is also no longer adequate to fund fire protection, rescue, emergency medical services, administration, governance, and associated capital for the growing Lehigh Acres Fire Control District.

District Fire Chief Robert Dilallo supports the renewed efforts of the Commission. “If approved by Lehigh voters during the August Primary election, simplified fire will raise the additional funding necessary to meet the level of service set by industry standards, other agencies, and this community,” Chief DiLallo stated. “Simplified fire will also provide the funding needed to immediately begin construction on a much-needed fire station in the northwest part of Lehigh Acres, reducing response times to that area.” 

Community property owners and residents are encouraged to learn more on the District’s website at https://www.lehighfd.com/. The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District has posted an interactive comparison feature on www.lehighfd.com to show property owners what their new simplified fire assessment will be if approved. This search engine allows for searches by either (1) owner name, (2) parcel location address, or (3) tax parcel identification number.  This quick search feature is located on the Proposed Simplified Fire Assessment Information landing page on www.lehighfd.com or directly by clicking here: https://www.lehighfd.com/community/page/interactive-comparison-feature.

By law, all registered voters in the Lehigh Acres Fire Control District may vote; there is no requirement to be a property owner to vote on this ballot question.  Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle is encouraging voters to “vote by mail” for the August 18 primary election. Additional information on checking your voter registration and polling locations is available on his website here: https://www.lee.vote/Election-Information/Election-Dates-and-Deadlines/A....

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Pursuant to Florida Statues 189 and 191, and Florida Law 97-340, the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District has been established by the Florida Legislature. The District is not funded by Lee County taxes. First organized in 1963 as a volunteer fire department, it has grown to provide full-time firefighters and professionals to staff the District’s constant response availability and level of service and now operates under Florida general and special law.  The District provides fire suppression, basic and advanced life support services, and fire prevention within the specific geographical boundaries of the District. This is accomplished with a Board of Fire Commissioners who are elected by the people within the geographical boundaries of the fire district in public elections and generally holding a term of 4 years.  The District is committed to planning for and providing a superior emergency service, and continually improving the quality of service delivered to the property owners, citizens and visitors of Lehigh Acres.