Police and Fire Fee Change Proposed by Weirton Council | News, sports, jobs

PROPOSAL SUBMITTED – Ward 7 Councilman Terry Weigel explained his reasons for a proposed reduction in the residential portion of the police and fire levy in Weirton during Monday’s City Council meeting. The proposal was introduced with a vote of 6-1. – Craig Howell

WEIRTON — A proposal that would reduce the residential portion of Weirton’s police and fire levy by a third was advanced by the City Council on Monday after several concerns were raised about its implementation.

The ordinance, which passed by a vote of 6-1, would have amended the fee established in 2002 and amended in 2019 to reduce the residential portion of the fee from the current $75 per year to $50 per year – the The level at which it was originally set was waived.

“It’s rare that we have a chance to cut a tax for people,” said Ward 7 Councilman Terry Weigel, who sponsored the ordinance.

Weigel, in his argument, pointed to the introduction of the fee along with Weirton’s business and occupation tax and 1 percent sales tax over the years, saying he believes both need to be reviewed. He said economic growth in recent years has helped create the possibility of such cuts.

Weigel said he has personally reviewed the city budget and believes the city can afford the adjustment.

“I felt like the money was there at that point,” Weigel said, also noting the issues he believes many of the city’s residents face. “For some people out there, this will be the difference between eating multiple meals and staying hungry.”

County Councilman George Ash, who called for the ordinance to be filed “indefinitely,” noted he was the one who pushed for the housing fee increase from $50 to $75 in 2019 and said the idea is to increase funding to cover the cost of hiring two firefighters.

“I’m not going to lay off two firefighters for this,” Ash said, also saying the proposal had not been reviewed by the city’s finance department.

The proposal received no recommendation during Thursday’s Weirton Finance Committee meeting, with Finance Director Diana Smoljanovich noting that such a cut could result in residents not paying between $250,000 and $500,000. Weigel is a member of the finance committee but was not present at Thursday’s meeting.

The other two members of the committee — Ward 3 Councilman Fred Marsh and Ward 6 Councilman Enzo Fracasso — said that while they understood the idea behind the proposal, they thought it was unfair to focus only on the residential portion of the fee.

That sentiment was shared Monday by Weirton Chamber of Commerce President Brenda Mull.

“Without businesses in the community, there is no community,” Mull said. “The companies were never taken into account.”

In addition to the $75 per year for residences, Weirton’s police and fire levy includes a tax assessment of $0.15 per square foot for businesses and $0.08 per square foot for churches and schools. None of these sections of the fee have been changed since it was introduced in 2002.

There is no fee for motor vehicles.

According to the City of Weirton’s fiscal year 2023-2024 financial report, the fee earned the city $2,110,063.25.

Since the proposal has been tabled, it remains on the Council’s agenda.