Hampstead fire department asking for tax increase

The Hampstead Fire Department is asking for an extra penny. Officials say these extra pennies will add up to almost $90,000.

The Fire Department Board of Directors is asking the Pender County Commissioners to approve a district wide 25 percent tax increase.

The proposed fire tax would change the current rate from 4 cents per $100 of your property value, to five cents.

The fire department says the extra money would help them pay for their extra work.

Hampstead Fire Deptartment Chairman David Lee said, “It’s not a situation of lets raise taxes and we’ll show you what we can do for you, we’re doing it already and what we need the tax increase for is to maintain the level service that we’re providing right now.”

The board of commissioners will vote on the fire tax tonight.

A public hearing on the proposed tax gets underway at seven p.m.

The hearing will be in Burgaw’s administration building, starting at seven p.m.