Jacksonville Review – August 2022
If you ask residents what they enjoy most about living in our city, the answers are pleasantly varied. Some cite the small-town atmosphere or the presence of the Woodlands Trails system. Others cite Britt’s offering of world-class concerts or the proximity to area wineries. There are many reasons for Jacksonville’s broad appeal. On the other hand, if you ask residents what concerns them most about our area, the answer is almost always the same: the possibility of a major wildland fire.
Our city and its residents are working together to mitigate the danger. Currently, in our small town of less than 3000 residents, we have 27 active Firewise communities led by a fervent group of volunteers. The City Council established a Safety Subcommittee which has prepared emergency materials, evacuation maps and raised awareness about types of highly flammable vegetation, etc. The city has received over $ 3 million in grant dollars toward fuel reduction and fire services. Thanks to a seismic safety grant, the new fire station is nearing completion.
Yet despite all of this, there continue to be challenges for funding. Cities across the nation are struggling with the escalating costs of fire protection. Add that to the fact that fires continue to grow more intense and more common, particularly in the urban wildland interface.
On July 5th the Jacksonville City Council approved a first reading of Ordinance 02022-002, to raise the Fire Protection surcharge by $ 7.00 next year, followed by an additional increase of $1.00 each year for the next three years. This Ordinance was based upon the recommendation of the City’s Budget Committee which met in May. The city has not raised the Fire Protection surcharge in 7 years, even as costs have risen. I assure you that we take no joy in raising a financial burden on our residents. We have kept the increase very small—in fact, about the cost of a Starbucks double latte a month. The city understands the high priority our residents put on fire safety, and we understand, as well, our commitment to providing the highest level of safety to them. We also recognize the value our fire department provides in emergency EMT services. For medical emergencies, they are our first responders, and their speedy arrival and medical services save lives nearly every day in Jacksonville. It continues to be an amazing feat that a town this size has its own 24/7 fire department! Even with this modest increase, we continue to provide services at a lower cost compared to our neighbors in the County.
In last month’s City Newsletter, which accompanies the monthly water bill, residents were provided a number of charts (included again in this issue of the Review) describing the cost of police and fire services throughout the Rogue Valley for 2021-2022. Without much context, some residents were puzzled and confused by the information. Others simply wondered why this material appeared. I think I can simplify this information. With a permanent tax rate of $1.84 per thousand dollars of assessed value, the second lowest in Jackson County, it is extremely difficult to provide the services our residents expect. Compare this to the tax rate in Ashland of $4.28 per thousand or Central Point at $4.47 per thousand or Medford at $5.23 per thousand or Phoenix at $3.64 per thousand. On a $400k home, property taxes in Ashland generate $1712; in Central Point, $1788; in Medford, $2092 and in Jacksonville, $736. Simply put, this is why we rely on safety surcharges to offer a high level of safety services. Neighboring communities with healthy tax rates also have fire and safety surcharges, many of them significantly higher than our own. The charts included provide additional comparative details.
The bottom line is that with our new surcharge rate of $42, each household will pay about $500 a year for full time fire service. Considering the rise in home values over the last several years, this is indeed a bargain.
Editor’s Note: Residents may apply for reduced and/or waivers of the surcharge by confidentially contacting City Recorder, Angela Watson, about the Surcharge Relief Program.