Excerpts from the daily-journal.com
Last fall, the boards of trustees for the Bourbonnais, Grant Park, and Limestone fire districts all voted to put proposals on the March 17 primary ballot asking voters to approve a tax increase to the maximum allowed by state law.
This decision was heavily influenced by a new state law that gradually raises the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. The increased labor costs are expected to push annual wages for firefighters and paramedics beyond $200,000 across the three districts. Currently, full-time firefighters earn $9 an hour, while paramedics make $15. Volunteer firefighters receive a flat rate per call, but with the new minimum wage, they will now be paid $15 per hour.
Additional financial pressures come from federal requirements, such as the FDA mandate to replace cardiac monitors in ambulances. Bourbonnais has already spent $37,000 to update two of its ambulances. All three departments also need to replace their 20-year-old stretchers with new electric models that can be operated by a single person.
The decline in volunteer firefighters is another major concern. Training and certification take significant time—up to 250 hours for basic firefighter certification and another six months for EMT training. After certification, personnel must complete annual refresher courses. Unlike before, where certification was once permanent, it's now subject to regular recertification under new rules from the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
For a median home in Bourbonnais valued at $100,000, property taxes would rise from $135.33 to $283.33 annually. The district serves 36 square miles and 36,000 residents. Last year, it responded to 4,182 emergency calls—the second-highest volume in the county. According to financial projections, the district would have faced a budget shortfall by 2021 without the proposed tax increase.
The department operates 24/7 with seven staff members on each shift, aiming to add three more to each team. Established in 1948, the district launched its ambulance service through a referendum in 1975.
In Limestone Township, where the median home value is $172,800, property taxes would jump 66% to $564 per year from $338. This would be the first tax increase since the district was formed in 1951. Firefighters currently earn $9 per hour, and paramedics make $12. With the minimum wage hike, both will see annual increases of $1 until reaching $15 and $18 per hour in 2025.
Grant Park, covering over 60 square miles and serving 5,000 residents, faces similar challenges. A tax increase would bring in an extra $260,000 to fund equipment replacement, staffing, and maintenance. Their fire apparatus, averaging 27 years old, needs to be replaced every 20–25 years. Maintenance costs have risen sharply in recent years, and the department must also replace all air packs at a cost of $150,000. For a median home valued at $180,000, taxes would increase 66% to $623 per year from $415.
Despite these challenges, the districts have managed to secure some grant funding to help offset costs. However, without voter approval of the tax increases, many of these critical upgrades and staffing needs may not be met.
Thanks, Dennis
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