Pearl River fire department seeks property tax renewal

Pearl River firefighters will ask voters to renew a 10-year property tax for operational expenses, including a raise for firemen and EMTs, on Nov. 4.

The 10-mill tax, likely to cost residents of a $100,000 home about $25 per year, would be collected from 2008 to 2018 if approved.

Those tax collections however could vary, even cost less per household, once the St. Tammany Parish Assessor’s Office assesses property values. That’s because Pearl River’s fire department, also known as St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District 11, chose to roll back its millage collections, meaning it won’t collect as much per household as before the assessment.

But because more people have moved into the area, the collections are spread out to more homes, making up the difference, Chief Robert Crowe said.

If approved, the millage would garner about $130,000 a year, or 25 percent of the department’s annual budget.

A portion of the money would increase salaries of firemen from roughly $20,000 a year to about $27,000 a year, Crowe said. EMTs will also see salaries raised from $35,000 a year to $38,000, he said.

“These guys have dedicated their time and effort to making the town of Pearl River a safe place to live,” Crowe said. “They deserve it.”

If the measure is not approved, many firemen would be fired, a move that would increase the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana rating. That rating determines how fast and effective a fire department can quell a fire.

Pearl River’s rating is currently a 2 out of 5. The lower the rating the cheaper fire insurance premiums cost. Only one other fire department in St. Tammany, Fire Protection District 4 in Mandeville, has such a low rating, Crowe said.

Crowe estimates an increase in fire insurance premiums of about $200 to $400 if the millage is denied.

“I know everybody is negative on taxes,” he said. “But it’s a renewal. It’s a necessary evil.”

The Parish Council is expected to approve the ballot item Thursday night during its first meeting since Hurricane Gustav.