Battlefield Fire Protection District seeks 25 cent tax levy increase on April ballot

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - The Battlefield Fire Protection District is asking voters to consider a tax levy increase to help sustain the department.

The district placed the initiative on the ballot after seeing an increase in growth. Since 2010, the service area’s population has increased by more than 40%. The levy would increase from 53 cents to 78 cents if it’s approved by voters. If you own a home with an assessed value of $200,000, you will pay an additional $95 annually on your property taxes.

“If approved the money will be used to ensure that we’re able to continue to maintain our current services,” said Fire Chief Scott Moore. “We’re going to increase our staffing. We’re going to do that incrementally over time. We’re going to continue to improve our fleet. Currently, we’re replacing 20 to 25-year-old apparatus. We’re trying to continually do that so that we’re providing a safe and effective vehicle to maintain responses.”

The last time the levy was increased was in 2012.

“The end goal is that the community doesn’t see a disruption in service of what we offer the same high expectation that they have of us,” said Moore. “We have as well, and we want to maintain that.”

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