FIRE ASSESSMENT PLAN TO HELP BUSINESSES, CHURCHES

ENGLEWOOD FIRE CONTROL COMMISSIONERS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY WEDNESDAY TO SET UP A METHODOLOGY THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR A LOWER ASSESSMENT RATE FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND HOUSES OR WORSHIP, BUT WOULD RAISE RATES FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.  COMMISSIONERS WON’T ACTUALLY ADOPT THE NEW ASSESSMENT RATES UNTIL SEPTEMBER AT A PUBLIC HEARING.  THE NEW ASSESSMENTS WOULD BY $140.57 FOR RESIDENTIAL, WHICH IS UP FROM THE CURRENT RATE OF $136.22 PER UNIT; $.20 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR ALL COMMERCIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.  THE CURRENT RATE IS $.24.4 PER SQUARE FOOT.  HOTELS AND MOTELS AS WELL AS NURSING HOMES PAID A DIFFERENT RATE, BUT THOSE CLASSIFICATIONS WOULD BE ELIMINATED; AND $.13 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR CHURCHES AND OTHER HOUSES OF WORSHIP, WHICH WOULD BE DOWN FROM THE COMMERCIAL RATE.  FIRE COMMISSIONER ROBERT BACON WANTED THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO ADOPT HIS MOTION OF KEEPING THE RESIDENTIAL RATE FLAT, BUT HE COULD NOT GET A SECOND ON THE MOTION.