Trusted leaders can fix problem

Residents, homeowners and taxpayers of Fire District 21/Arlington Rural: As a former Fire District 21 commissioner, a 36-year veteran of the EMS/fire service and one of only two people who have studied where the money comes from in Fire District 21, I have a differing perspective from the May 3 letter, “Lacking fiscal responsibility.”

I trust the current commissioners and the fire chief to find ways to save money to accomplish the goal of fiscal equality opposed by the group from Arlington Heights which fought so hard against the fire levy.

Chief Hots has shown me he is more than capable of working his way through service issues. My issue is money.

How does a fire district survive collecting less than half the tax rate of the other area fire districts? They go over 40 years without planning for the future of half their fire district. That’s how.

For every tax dollar from District 21 south of Arlington, 75 cents goes to the people of Arlington Heights.

Historically, the Heights charged us to use our own fire truck.

45.6 percent of the District revenue comes from the south side.

100 percent of the appreciating assets are in Arlington Heights.

We are half way through a 10-year period where $1.5 million from south of Arlington will be invested in Arlington Heights.

How much longer will this go on?

Let the current leadership of the department fix this.

John Jacobson

Arlington

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