How is Evans Fire Rescue funded now?

Evans Fire Rescue is a municipal department of the City of Evans. It is funded directly from the city’s general fund. This fund is supported by sales tax (45%), property tax (15%), use taxes and fees, intergovernmental transfers from the city enterprise funds, fines and interest income. In addition to Evans Fire Rescue the general fund supports Police Services (the largest single general fund expenditure), Public Works, Culture, Parks and Recreation and Community Development. It also funds general governmental services which include the City Manager, City Council, City Clerk, Courts, Human Resources and Risk Management and Finance. In 2011 the total City general operating fund expenditures will be $9,850,137. This is 2.2% less than general fund expenditures in 2010.

The 2011 Evans Fire Rescue budget will be $1,431,757. This includes $1,254,492 in personnel costs for 12 full-time paid firefighters, 3 administrative and support personnel and 36 volunteer firefighters. It also includes $177,265 in non-personnel expenses for supplies and services and minor equipment replacement. There is no budget for replacement of large fire trucks (fire pumpers) or other vehicles. The Evans Fire Rescue budget represents 14.5% of the total general operating fund expenditures in 2011.

The City Council allocates all general fund expenditures each year to the service areas based on the recommendations of the City Manager in accordance with City Council priorities and adopted financial policies. Except for .5% of the sales tax dedicated to public safety from a special sales tax increase in 2004 no revenues are dedicated to specific expenditures. The City Council makes all final decisions about where general fund revenue is spent.

Because Evans Fire Rescue is funded completely from the City general fund it is difficult to directly compare property tax rates and revenue with fire districts that are funded almost entirely from property taxes. However, if the 2011 Evans Fire Rescue budget was represented as property tax revenue and a property tax mill levy it would be approximately 13.245 mills. Since the City of Evans general fund property tax rate is 13.538 generating $1,463,370 there is almost an exact match between the property taxes collected by the City and the current costs of fire protection. Except for the improvements recommended by the Taskforce and funded by the proposed 5.5 mill increase in property tax rate, this makes the formation of a fire district approximately revenue and expenditure neutral for the City.