San Gabriel Valley : Azusa Doubles Fees for Fire Protection
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Azusa residents are discovering that where there is likely to be smoke, there is likely to be an increase in bills for fire service.
City officials voted 4 to 1 Monday night to more than double the municipal fire safety fee.
The fire-prone city adjacent to the foothills of the Angeles National Forest contracts with the county for fire services, paying partly from the city’s general fund and partly with a $6.61-per-month levy on each household.
Council members decided the city no longer can afford to pay out of the general fund and raised the monthly fire fee to $14.02 per month to cover the entire cost of the contract.
Finance Director Geoff Craig added that the fee increase will free up money to allow the city to give its aging police station headquarters a $2.5-million face lift and expansion.
The fee increase could be just the first: The county Fire Department is considering a proposal to charge more to provide service to cities.
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