Voters in eastern Warren County, including the Wright City and Innsbrook areas, will be asked April 3 to vote on Proposition S, a 34-cent property tax increase for Wright City Fire Protection District.Below are common questions and answers related to Prop S. Information was collected from Wright City Fire Protection District.This is not to be confused with Proposition C, a proposed bond issue for Wright City Fire Protection District that will also be on the April ballot. Another story in this issue of The Record addresses questions related to Prop C.Who will Prop S affect?Wright City Fire Protection District serves eastern Warren County and part of southern Lincoln County, as well as running mutual aid calls in other area fire districts. The fire district serves more than 10,000 area residents.WCFPD is a separate entity from surrounding fire districts, including those in Warrenton and Marthasville. All the fire agencies are also separate from Warren County Ambulance District and Marthasville Community Ambulance District. None of these other agencies are directly impacted by the proposed tax increase.What will the tax increase be used for?The fire district expects to generate an additional $711,000 in annual revenue if Prop S passes.The increased funding would be used to maintain the district’s current staff of professional firefighters. Six firefighters were hired in 2016 using federal grant money, but that funding is not guaranteed to be renewed when its term ends in February 2019.In other words, if Prop S does not pass, some positions could be eliminated, according to fire officials.Having the additional staff has allowed the district to keep more personnel on each shift and make up for the declining number of volunteers, officials said.“The rules and standards we operate under have increased the minimum qualifications and activities required to be a volunteer firefighter. The unpaid personnel are held to the same standard as the full-time employees,” Wright City Fire Chief Ron MacKnight explained in a January press release.Funds also could be used to help maintain the district’s fire stations and equipment, and to provide training for staff, but the priority is maintaining the six firefighter positions.How will Prop S affect my tax bill?Wright City Fire Protection District’s property tax levy would increase from 41.27 cents per $100 assessed valuation up to 75.27 cents.For the owner of a $100,000 home, Prop S would increase the annual property tax payment by about $65. For a $150,000 home, the number is about $97, and a $200,000 home would be around $129 per year increase.Those amount are for residential property. Agricultural land and other types of property also will be affected, but are taxed at different rates.How many yes votes are needed for Pros S to pass?A simple majority of participating voters must approve the ballot measure for Prop S to pass.When was the last tax increase?Residents of the Wright City Fire Protection District passed a 15 cent tax levy increase in 2002.What is the district’s current budget?The fire district’s 2017-2018 budget is about $1.1 million, including $222,000 of federal grant money that pays for six firefighter positions.The budget has risen nominally over the past several years and as a result of rising area property valuations. Costs also have increased for maintenance on aging facilities and vehicles, and for employee health insurance.The fire district employs a total of 12 professional firefighters, along with a chief, an assistant chief, and 14 volunteer firefighters.How many calls do Wright City firefighters respond to? The number of calls for service have gone up and down over the past 10 years, but the 10-year average for 2007 to 2016 is 601 per year. The call volume has been increasing since a low point in 2013.The 2017 call volume is significantly higher than previous years, 922 calls, in part because the fire district began responding to all medical calls starting in January 2017.However, even factoring out medical calls, the fire district had 745 calls for service, more than any time in the last decade.What facilities does the district operate?Wright City Fire Protection District has four fire stations, two of which don’t have assigned personnel. Most of the staff is stationed at House One in Wright City, with three or four firefighters per shift. A captain and lieutenant are assigned to House Three on Highway J in Lincoln County.Where can I get more information?The fire district is considering hosting an open house event, but a date has yet to be determined.Wright City Fire Protection District logo