JUPITER — The Jupiter Town Council has approved a fire assessment fee to help pay for the town’s new fire department that will begin service in October.
The council voted 3-1 on June 16 in favor of a per-property fee determined by the square footage of the site being assessed. Mayor Jim Kuretski voted against approval, saying he was concerned about how the fee would be applied to different properties. Council member Phyllis Choy was not present for the meeting.
The assessment is expected to generate about $2.1 million for the first year of Jupiter Fire Rescue, representing about 8% of the department’s proposed $25 million budget, according to town documents.
The fire department will begin operations on Oct. 1, replacing Palm Beach County Fire Rescue as the town’s provider for fire and EMS service.
In early June, Jupiter swore in 91 firefighters and opened two new fire stations as it prepares to launch the new fire department, marking a break from the county after about 40 years of service. The Jupiter fire assessment fee will replace the current Palm Beach County fee that appears on property tax bills.
Jupiter finance director Scott Reynolds told council members that many residents and businesses will see savings on their tax bills compared to what they would have paid to the county. Town officials have estimated that Jupiter will save $10 million in total during the first year of its new fire department.
Reynolds told the council that the town staff recommended a fee based on square footage rather than a flat fee because of a large disparity in property sizes in Jupiter.
During public comments, some residents spoke in favor of the fee while others told the council that they opposed it. One resident said he was concerned about potential fee increases over time.
“It’s small now, but what’s going to happen down the road?” he asked.
Julius Whigham II covers northern Palm Beach County and public safety for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jupiter sets service fee as fire department nears October launch
Reporting by Julius Whigham II, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Julius Whigham II, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
