Gainesville has decided to levy a special assessment, or an annual fee, for properties benefiting from city fire services.
The fee was created in response to recent state budget reductions that cut about $4 million from Gainesville's budget, said city spokesman Bob Woods.
The fees would be determined by a property's square footage and whether the property's structure is commercial, residential, institutional or industrial.
The funds collected from the assessment can only be used by Gainesville Fire Rescue, which is facing a serious budget crisis, said Deputy Fire Chief Gene Prince.
While the city has expanded since 1975, the number of fire rescue personnel has decreased from 165 to 155.
The assessment will apply to all developed property except for government property, vacant lands and agricultural property, said Assistant City Manager Paul Folkers.
Churches and nonprofit organizations will not be exempt.
The city also discussed the possibility of UF paying $2.9 million annually toward the assessment, Woods said.
However, Folkers said the city cannot make UF pay a fee because the university is on state property.
A meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, at City Hall to discuss the rates of the assessment.
