SEMINOLE, Fla. (WFLA) – Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District Chief Jeffrey Davidson is urging residents to support an annual ad-valorem .67 millage tax on the 2022 midterm election ballot.
According to Davidson, the tax will assist in keeping the district running as expenses have increased.
“Currently, we don’t have the proper funding mechanism to keep us afloat, and we’re projected to run out of money in 2025,” Davidson said.
Residents in the five areas the fire district serves, which includes Indian Rocks Beach, Oakhurst and Belleair Shore, currently pay a flat fee of $360 yearly to support the emergency service.
If the vote doesn’t pass Tuesday, Davidson fears the district will only remain operational three more years.
“The most likely scenario is it would be serviced by neighboring fire departments, and there wouldn’t be a fire station here, so now you’re relying on the next closest station and that could be 10 minutes away,” said Davidson.
