News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Feb. 18, 2010) – St. Paul, MN – A group of fire service organizations today called on Governor Pawlenty to restore money taken from the Fire Safety Account (FSA) that helps pay for firefighter training and other important fire safety initiatives, especially since the money was raised for a dedicated purpose.
Money in the Fire Safety Account, which is raised through a separately disclosed surcharge (of 0.65%) on all homeowners and commercial fire insurance policies in the state, is used to pay for statewide firefighter training, fire related regional response teams and funding the operations of the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s office. The average Minnesota policyholder pays about $5 per year for this important purpose.
“A promise was made to Minnesota homeowners and commercial property owners four years ago when the law creating the Fire Safety Account was passed,” said Edina Fire Chief Marty Scheerer. “But to now take the money raised for fire safety and spend it on general fund items puts our state’s fire service professionals at great risk.”
Minnesota already spends less per capita than most states to provide fire protection.
“Minnesota ranks 47th in the nation on per capita fire safety spending,” said Tom Thornburg, President of the Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters. “And to now endanger our citizens further by taking away money promised to the fire services is irresponsible.”
At a News Conference in St. Paul today, a group including the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association, the Minnesota State Fire Department Association, the Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters, the Minnesota Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators, and the Fire Marshal’s Association of Minnesota all called on Governor Pawlenty and the state’s legislative leaders to allow the fire services to continue to spend the proceeds from the Fire Safety Account on its intended purpose, namely firefighter training and other important fire safety functions.
The groups also announced support for legislation aimed at appropriating the current Account’s balance to its intended purpose. House File 2844 (Smith, R-Mound) and Senate File 2502 (Rest, DFL-New Hope) would allocate the Account’s funding for additional fire fighter training and equipment and to help support several fire related regional response teams.
The Fire Safety Surcharge was enacted in 2006 and replaced a hidden tax charged to homeowners in Minnesota. The hidden tax of .05% had been collected since 1937. The Fire Safety Surcharge, which is separately disclosed on insurance premium notices, applies to all homeowners’ and commercial fire insurance policies. The surcharge on the average Minnesota homeowner is a little more than $5 per year.
“With an unmet fire training need of more than $27-million in Minnesota, it’s important that we use every dollar of our dedicated funding source to help protect the citizens of this state,” said Dan Winkel, President of the Minnesota Fire Department Association. “Our groups ask Governor Pawlenty and lawmakers to spend the Fire Safety Surcharge on what it was intended for….fire services.”
MORE INFO: For more information or to set up an interview with a representative of the state’s fire service community, please contact Nate Dybvig at 651.230.3018, or e-mail him at .