fire territories

The fire territory expansion will roughly double the fire service portion of township property tax rates, generating money that proponents say will keep them competitive with other departments for pay.

Harris Township Trustee Ken Lindsay says Clay Fire Territory is losing personnel to other departments that pay higher wages.

St. Joseph County leaders say state-enacted property tax cuts are leading them to stop paying for ambulance service to townships, forcing some townships to merge to better afford the service.

Suburban and rural fire territories say it's increasingly difficult on their own to provide fire and ambulance services that people have come to expect.