Poor will bear brunt of change
By JEFF SCHWEERS
Florida Today
VIERA, Fla. — Thousands of Brevard County’s less affluent homeowners will get a much bigger bill for fire protection this year, while wealthier homeowners will save money.
A court ruling invalidated the way the county collected money for emergency medical services, forcing commissioners to find another way to raise $23 million for Brevard Fire Rescue. The new rate commissioners adopted by a 3-2 vote Tuesday corrects the legal issues by turning the EMS fee into a property tax, and turning a portion of the fire services tax into a fee.
The rate affects about 90,000 property owners. ...
Full Story: Fire fee amounts to tax hike