WINFIELD – Four months ago, voters in the Winfield/Foley Fire Protection District narrowly rejected a tax increase that would have provided funds to start paying the all-volunteer staff.

The final margin was just eight votes, 549-541, or 50.3-49.7 percent. Equally frustrated and encouraged by the outcome, fire department officials decided to put the same measure before voters at the August special election.

With turnout typically smaller in special elections, and voting taking place at the fire station, officials remained optimistic voters would support what they believe to be a needed and legitimate request.

Instead, voters not only said no, they said no emphatically, defeating the measure 387-280, or 58-42 percent.

Proposition Fire would have nearly doubled the department’s tax levy from $.43 per $100 assessed valuation to $.80. Currently operating with a $330,000 budget, the additional tax revenue would have provided the funds needed to pay the 30-member volunteer staff $25 per call.

Prior to the election, Fire Chief Arron Lee explained how the department’s resources are maxed out and new growth is only making the situation worse.

“We are unable to sustain budgetarily operations and providing the same level of service we currently provide,” Lee said. “We’re going through a 6% increase in assessed valuation. We’re only allowed to collect 1.5% of that growth. So as the assessed valuations go up, new housing going in, more people showing up to our district to live … that creates more of a call volume increase for us. And the problem is when the call volumes increase, every time we put a truck on the road that costs us money.”

With the tax increase defeat, Lee pledged the department would still continue to do their best in terms of fire protection.

“WFFPD would like to thank each and everyone of you that came out and supported our mission,” Lee posted on the department’s Facebook page. “Regardless of the outcome, our members will continue to do our best to protect and serve this community to the best of our ability. “