BASALT — The Basalt Fire Department plans to ask voters to approve a property tax increase in November to make up for the loss of revenues caused by the recession and slow recovery.
“We’re not asking for more money than we ever had. We’re asking to replace the money we lost because our assessed values have gone down,” said Fire Chief Scott Thompson.
The assessed values of residential property took a dive of anywhere from 25 to 45 percent in the mid-Roaring Fork Valley during the recession. Because of the delay in revaluations by the state government, taxing districts didn’t start feeling the pinch of reduced property taxes until last year.
The Basalt and Rural Fire Protection District’s revenues from property taxes fell about 37 percent, said Bob Guion, president of the board of directors.
“We think that will continue to go down,” he said.
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