In a recent letter, Walkersville Volunteer Fire Co. and Walkersville Volunteer Rescue Co. ask residents to support the creation of a separate Walkersville first-due area fire tax district.

Currently, property owners in Walkersville first-due response -- part of Frederick County's suburban fire tax area -- are taxed 8 cents per $100 on the assessed value of their property. Urban fire tax residents are taxed 12 cents per $100.

According to the letter, the first-due response area generates about $1.3 million in fire tax revenue, whereas the benefit received is less than $300,000 on annual basis.

The amount of tax collected by Frederick County is about four times the value of service provided by the county, which includes two paid positions at the rescue company, according to the letter.

"This is a tax equity issue," said Jim Graham, treasurer at the volunteer fire company. "Walkersville is gracious in its support, and the county system developed 10 years ago needs to be revamped."

The letter is signed by Austin Schroyer, president of the fire company, and Sandra Maxey, president of the rescue company. It notes the unanimous support of Walkersville Burgess Ralph Whitmore and the town commissioners for the petition.

"Both companies buy all our own equipment, built our own buildings with all our own funds," Maxey said. "Other companies do not receive as generous support from their residents as we do, or do not work as hard at fundraising as we do."

In response to the letter, Frederick County Commissioners President Jan Gardner said the numbers given by the Walkersville volunteer companies do not take into account the cost of services, supervision, training, equipment and programs incurred by the county.

For example, she said, advanced life support is run out of nearby Libertytown , whose residents pay the urban tax rate.

Earlier this year, Walkersville 's commissioners paid $478 for an ad in The Frederick News-Post criticizing the county for "not giving serious consideration to their proposal to examine the fire tax issue.

Gardner said the issue is now on the county's plate. They have set a Dec. 31 deadline for public comment.

"We're already looking at this," Gardner said. "But I think the county commissioners need to look at the county broadly, not just Walkersville ."

Gardner said creating separate tax districts for Walkersville , and potentially Thurmont , which has also begun looking into the issue, could significantly reduce fire tax rates in those areas. However, she said, the fire tax rate for Frederick , for example, could jump from 12 cents to 28 cents.

"Lewistown's rates and Brunswick 's rates will go up," Gardner said. "There will be winners and losers."

Walkersville has at least one ally on the county board.

Commissioner John L. Thompson Jr. is a former Walkersville burgess and commissioner, and is a member of the volunteer fire company. He has said he agrees with the town's position and plans to bring it up during next year's budget deliberations.

Gardner said the fire tax discussion has been ongoing for at least 20 years. In the past, the county had as many as 12 to 15 separate fire tax districts, which caused its own set of problems.

Gardner said she has asked staff to map the various first-due areas, tax rates and benefits received from the county, but stressed that the Walkersville issue cannot be resolved in isolation.

"What happens when there is a big call in another tax area, should a company respond to another district?" Gardner said. "Or when a call gets missed? We'll consider all of it, the larger picture, not just Walkersville ."

Staff writer Meg Tully contributed to this report.

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