KENNER, La. — Signs are cropping up across Kenner, asking voters to show their support the city firefighters on the November 18 ballot.
The Kenner Fire Department is struggling with fire stations that need replacing, broken-down equipment, chronic budget shortfalls and low firefighter pay.
“The members haven’t had a salary increase,” KFD Chief Terence Morris said. “They’ve been at $8.92, starting salary since 2007, 2008.”
The equipment problem has gotten so bad, KFD is now having to borrow fire trucks from surrounding departments like the Terrytown Fire Department and the Jefferson Parish Fire Training Academy.
We have five of our apparatus that’s currently out of service due to repairs, some of them major and they have been out of service for an extended period of time,” Morris said.
Saturday, voters will decide on a proposed property tax increase dedicated to the fire department.
The new tax would replace the current 7.4 mils established 40 years ago with an 18.2 mil tax.
That would raise just short of $11 million a year.
Officials say if the tax proposition fails, it would become increasingly difficult to maintain the city’s Class A1 rating.
That, in turn, could impact insurance rates for Kenner residents and businesses.
“Then we can do the things that we need to do, to protect the community,” Morris said. “Because that’s what it’s all about. What it boils down to at the end of the day, that we protect the community, the residents of Kenner.”
The Kenner tax, if approved would still be less than the fire millage assessed in unincorporated Jefferson Parish.
The new tax would kick in next year.
The new Kenner fire millage would cost the owner of a $300,000 home about 400 a year.
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