This spring, many voters will be asked to send more of their hard earned money to their local governments in the name of expanding public safety.
If you live in Germantown, Cedarburg, Grafton, Saukville or Port Washington, you'll have the opportunity to vote on referendums on April 2nd. Each of those communities reports an increased demand for emergency services while many are also dealing with low staffing levels and insufficient funding.
In Port Washington, Fire Department calls for service shot up 53% in 2022, but staffing dropped by 23%. Currently the fire department has only 5 full time staff members.
It's why voters are being asked to support a $1.2 million annual increase to the property tax levy. It would cover the cost of hiring six additional full time fire and EMS workers and allow the department to retain three positions that are currently funded through grants from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
TMJ4's Andrea Albers will be speaking with the Port Washington Deputy Fire Chief about the issues he's facing. This story will be updated.
Give your thoughts on voting for referendums here.
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