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WESTON, WI (WSAU-WAOW) People living in the SAFER Fire District could soon see a fire fee on their tax bill.
The proposal is in its early stages, but being considered by the Village Board.
The fee, which would apply to every building in the SAFER District, including tax-exempt buildings, would help them continue to operate as usual.
SAFER Fire Chief Josh Finke said the tax levy has struggled to keep up with inflation and rising costs.
That’s putting a strain on the fire department, who Finke said deals with an average of 4,000 calls a year, and only about 7 firefighters per day.
He said that’s much less than most other departments their same size.
“I think it’s a strong possibility that if nothing happens, we will probably have to cut staff, which would be extremely detrimental. We already did staffing cuts in 2023, and again in 2025, last year,” Finke said.
Though nothing is set in stone, Finke said they expect the fee to be about $40-$60 per year.
The Village Board will discuss the fee at their meeting next month.
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