Riverview City Manager Doug Drysdale said the proposed Fire Protection and Advanced Life Support millage, which replaces a retired sewer debt millage which expired, will result in no net increase in taxes.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
RIVERVIEW – The city will ask Riverview voters to approve a public safety millage Nov. 3 which would fund the hiring of eight full-time firefighters and paramedics for a 10-year period.
The city currently staffs its fire department with part-time employees, many of whom work other jobs, which has led to staffing challenges in the past. The fire chief is the only full-time position.
In the past, Riverview has relied, in part, on outside contractors to provide paramedics to provide advanced life support services to residents, a crucial need in a city with a significant volume of assisted living, senior and skilled nursing facilities.
The proposal asks whether an annual special assessment levy of up to 1.47 mills, or $1.47 per $1,000 of taxable value, should be levied on all real property in the city not exempt from taxation, for 10 years, from the 2021-22 through the 2030-31 fiscal years.
City Manager Doug Drysdale said residents will not see a net increase in taxes if they approve the millage, as it would replace a soon-to-expire sewage debt millage.
“Protecting Riverview citizens is our first priority, and the fire department millage will allow Riverview to be a full-service city,” he said. “With a large population of senior citizens, full-time first responders are essential.”
Since 2013, the city has seen a 67 percent increase in run volumes, Drysdale said.
He said the city also will be able to purchase newer, more advanced life-support equipment if the millage passes.
“Passing this millage will provide more job opportunities for city residents,” Drysdale said. “Also, our firefighters provide free education on fire safety and prevention to children and other community members.”
He said that, under the agreed upon letter of understanding with the union, any new, full-time employees will not receive a pension or retiree health care, but will participate in the city’s defined contribution plan and the retiree health savings plan, which will both be funded through a percentage of the employee’s wages, and will stop when the person’s employment ends.
The measure will eliminate the need for the city to fund the legacy costs of retiree pensions and health care for the new hires.
Drysdale said improvements in staffing and equipment could lower the city’s Insurance Service Office rating, which provides information about property and casualty insurance risk.
“Improvements could lower the city’s ISO rating, which could result in lower insurance premiums for businesses and residents,” he said. “However, we have no way of determining how much savings, if any, would be realized.”
If approved, the millage would take effect July 1, 2021 and run through June 30, 2031, when it would expire.