Board exempts Presbyterian Homes from new fire tax

By Staff | Sep 7, 2016

Larry Becker

Presbyterian Homes renters shouted with joy when the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District’s board of commissioners voted to make the apartments tax exempt.

The residents were saved from having to pay a planned $24 rent hike that Presbyterian Home intended to pass on to them as a result of the new fire assessments.

The commissioners also passed final requirement, allowing the district to levy its new fees to fund the fire department.

The meeting was held on Aug. 30 at the Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lehigh. It took place in the large conference room, so the huge turnout could be accommodated.

And accommodation is what the renters got after nearly an hour of pleading and begging the board to make the apartments tax exempt.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Fire assessment fees chart.

Close to two dozen residents spoke at the meeting, trying to convince the board of why they could not afford the rent hike.

Faye Richmond, who said her family helped start the fire department, said most renters are living at the poverty level.

Helen Jordan, 68, said she had to go back to work at McDonalds to earn extra money.

Most said they lived alone and are on Social Security.

Delores Adams, 78, said she barely can make it on her Social Security.

“The $25 increase in my rent will hurt,” she said. “We’re struggling to buy food and medications. Please don’t do this to us. Let us enjoy the time we still have left on this earth.”

Irene Harvey said she is left with $26 a month after expenses to buy food.

When they explained how much they made and how they would have to choose between food and medicine, many of the renters shed tears.

Others told the board that it should know what it feels like to be in the last part life and be forced to make such hard decisions.

Some said they would become homeless because their budgets were tight, even though they received food stamps and free food from local churches and agencies.

More than 130 people filled the conference room, with more than 110 of them from Presbyterian Homes.

After the renters spoke, the applause was deafening as the other Lehigh residents showed their support.

The manager and a social director of Presbyterian Homes also spoke before the board.

The new assessments were initiated to support the fire department, which has a loss in revenue due to the drop in property taxes.

The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Unless the district’s discontinues the assessments, they will fund the fire department’s operations and ambulance service.

The estimated fire protection revenue to be collected from the assessments is $12,337,998 in the upcoming fiscal year. The estimated emergency rescue revenue to be collected is $2,232,200.

The proposed assessment fees were put on the ballot and 51 percent of the voters in Lehigh approved them.

The assessment fees will be based upon each parcel’s classification and its total number of billing units, according to the fire board.

A chart is on the district’s website at: www.lehighfd.com/.

For residential homes, the fees come out to $292 per year.

Commissioner Larry Becker motioned to make Presbyterian Homes tax exempt. It was noted that it would cost $152,811.

The vote was unanimous.

“I feel relieved. It will keep many of us living in Lehigh,” said Donnette Vesseliza, a six-year renter at Presbyterian Homes.

The board then voted to use the assessment fee method.

Commissioner Cathy Kruse told the crowd that it is not easy sitting on the fire board and having to provide services to the community as costs keeps going up.

“I’ve been on this board for four years and my eyes have been opened,” she said.

Resident Michael Sullivan thanked local first responders.

“Thank you for the men and women of the department and the EMS,”?he said. “It will be a sad day to call and nobody shows up at our homes. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

: PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Fire assessment fees chart.