The Warrenton Fire Protection District is asking voters to reconsider their decision on a rejected August sales tax proposition that would rescue the district’s struggling finances.

The fire district’s board of directors voted last week to once again place the half-cent sales tax on the Nov. 3 ballot. The proposition would add a half-cent to every dollar of purchases in the Warrenton Fire District, which equates to an extra nickel for every $10 spent at a store.

Fire Chief Anthony Hayeslip says this time around, the district is going to do a better job of communicating what the sales tax is for, and how urgent the district’s financial need is.

For years, the fire district has been paying for increased professional staffing to account for declining volunteers and increased demand for service. The district’s reserve funding is gone, and every unnecessary expense has been cut, Hayeslip said. Without additional funding, he said the district will be forced to consider much more drastic cuts to facilities or personnel.

“We’re down to such bare bones. We need this so we can continue to support our community. Going backwards is not a favorable option for the community,” Hayeslip said.

“The reality is, we took a loan out last year to make it through the year. We’re going to have to do it again this year,” Hayeslip added. “It’s not something we can just keep doing.”

A property tax reduction is also included in the ballot proposition. The property tax reduction would be based on sales tax collected, and would likely drop the fire district’s property tax by one-third, Hayeslip estimates.

The net revenue increase for the fire district would be about $400,000 per year.

Without a revenue increase, Hayeslip said district leaders are strongly considering selling the fire station in Pendleton to make ends make, and as an absolute last resort, laying off professional firefighters.

“The one thing that’s most important for the fire district is its personnel. These trucks don’t go and put a fire out by themselves,” Hayeslip commented.

But these are the same needs Warrenton Fire brought to voters in early August, when voters rejected the sales tax with about 64 percent voting against. Hayeslip said the district will have to do a better job of getting supporters out to vote and answering important questions.

For example, Hayeslip said part of the new funding would be used to train and equip new volunteer firefighters, along with supporting the professional staff and maintaining facilities. Questions about volunteer recruitment have dogged the district’s past funding requests.

Hayeslip acknowledged that the barrier to getting a sales tax passed is high, but said supporters will focus on getting their message to as many people as possible and encouraging them to vote. The fire district is also running a voter registration drive to turn out more supporters in November.

“We don’t take this decision lightly, to ask the people for money,” Hayeslip said. “But at the same time, this is an investment in the very people who will go out and assist you in your time of need.”