How our community benefits.

A North Queensbury Fire District would mean:

• Fire taxes reduced by 50 percent
  The 2007 fire tax rate of 73 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value
  could be reduced to as little as 44 cents, based on the same level of funding the North Queensbury Fire Co. is scheduled to receive from the town in 2007.
  
  
• A vote to elect each fire commissioner
  Under state law, Fire Districts are overseen by five fire commissioners, who must live in the district, and are directly voted into office by district voters. The commissioners are held accountable by the voters through regular elections, with one commissioner up for election each year. Under the current system, the town board member representing the North Queensbury area also represents (and lives in) a different fire protection district.
  
  
• A vote on any borrowing by the Fire District
  Under state law, before a Fire District may borrow funds for equipment purchases or other capital expenditures, the proposal is put before district voters. Under the current system, voters have no direct input on the borrowing plans put forward by fire companies.
  
  
• A say on the fire taxes at annual public hearings
  Fire Districts in New York must hold annual public hearings prior to adopting a district budget each year, providing taxpayers an opportunity to express concerns or have their questions answered relative to how their fire tax money is being spent. Under the current system, there is no public input on the annual budgets put forward by the fire companies.
  
  
• Annual independent audits to ensure all spending is proper
  Fire Districts must undergo annual independent audits to ensure taxpayer funds are being properly expended and to provide an additional layer of oversight for the Fire District’s operations. Under the current system, there are no mandated independent audits of fire company operations and budgeting.
  
  
• Prohibitions against fire chiefs serving as fire commissioners
  To ensure a clear separation between the fire commissioners and the fire company, a current fire chief or assistant chief is ineligible to serve as a fire commissioner. In addition, all Fire Districts must adhere to a code of ethics mandated by the state to ensure that the district is run in the best interest of the public and taxpayers.
  
  
• Legal limits on how much can be raised through fire taxes
  State law imposes a maximum limit on fire taxes for Fire Districts, eliminating any potential for excessive spending and imposing a sense of fiscal discipline on Fire Districts. Under the current system, there are no legislatively-mandated limits on spending or maximum limits on fire tax rates.