Voters OK Antioch fire tax district

Ledger Staff Writer

A large majority of residents in the Antioch fire district showed their support for the volunteer fire department by passing a referendum Tuesday making the area a tax district.

“This means the whole future to the fire department,” said Antioch VFD Chief Glenn Gregory. “This is a real load off. The ramifications are just going to be unlimited. I thank the citizens for coming through and for their support of the fire department.”

The tax district is a funding solution for a fire department that had relied on fundraisers and donations as a primary source of income. The residents in the Antioch fire district will pay an 8 mil fire tax. For example, an owner of a $100,000 property would pay $32 a year.

Gregory expressed his thanks “from the bottom of his heart” Tuesday evening after learning that the tax district referendum passed 99-37.

The chief also said he hopes to lower the insurance rating in the community within the next five years.

“We took our need to the people and they saw it and they came through for us,” he said.

The fire department receives $35,000 a year in funding from the county, but with $16,000 a year in loan payments and another $15,000 going to insurance premiums, there is not enough to cover the remaining expenses, like gas, utilities and maintenance.