We Are Facing A Significant Budget Crisis
We're working hard to find a solution to keep our community safe
Increasing Costs of Equipment
The cost to purchase a new Engine has risen 79% Since COVID
2019 - $723,000
2025 - 1.3 Millon
Fire Fighter Equipment
120% Increase Since COVID
Heat and Impact Resistant Helmet
2019 - $229 / 2025 - $655
Bunker Coat 2019 - $1157 / 2025 - $2350
Bunker Pants 2019 - $1202 / 2025 - $2195
Reduction in Property Taxes
Colorado State Legislation Significantly Reduced Funding
In 2024, the state legislature passed HB 24B-1001 to lower property taxes, which significantly reduced funding for fire protection districts across Colorado — including Hotchkiss Fire District.
Why Is The District Facing A Budget Crisis?
In 1997, Hotchkiss Fire District asked the voters of the
Hotchkiss Fire District to increase our mil-levy to 4.8 mills effective in 1998, where it has remained to date. At that time, the minimum wage was $5.15 an hour. Today, it is $15.16 an hour. We have worked hard to successfully obtain many grants to sustain the exceptional level of service that Hotchkiss Fire District offers, while reducing costs to residents. However, in 2025, most of the Federal and State grants disappeared, creating a substantial loss in revenue.
In 2024, the State legislature passed HB 24B-1001 (see below for more information) to lower property taxes, which significantly reduced funding for fire protection districts across Colorado — including Hotchkiss Fire District.
As a result, Hotchkiss Fire District is facing an immediate and significant budget crisis. Without additional revenue by 2027, we will not be able to maintain the high level of fire and emergency services our residents expect and rely on.
Without additional funding, ISO ratings may increase and for many, fire insurance for their homes and businesses may not be offered by insurance companies (see ISO explanation below).
Hotchkiss Fire District will face a budget crisis that increases in severity every year due to rising demands for our services and rising costs to operate. Since COVID, demand for our services has grown 20%, and it’s not slowing down.
Hotchkiss Fire District faces a choice — and we’re asking for your support. Our options are to either reduce essential emergency services or to secure additional funding to sustain them. If we must reduce essential services and obtain no increase in funding, we will need to reduce services increasingly each year.
THREE OPTIONS WE ARE FACED WITH
Reduce Responses
- Response times for fires and accidents could be impacted more and more each year.
Increased response times could compromise public safety during emergencies and adversely affect property, individuals and life-threatening medical situations. - Reduced wildfire response and other specialty units including swift-water rescue, hazardous materials response, and technical rescue may be unavailable.
- Possibility of property owners or business owners unable to obtain or afford fire insurance, which can effect resale values of property, homes and businesses.
- Possibility of no new development of businesses or manufacturing and the reduction of new homes being built.
Ask the Voters for a Sales Tax
- Ask voters to approve a 0.40% sales tax, which would cost $0.04 (4 cents) for every $10 spent.
- This would bring in money from local sales in the District from travelers, rafters, hunters, those vacationing, and from anyone making a purchase in the District, not just from the business and property owners in the District.
- It is unknown how much a sales tax will generate in any given year due to fluctuations in tourism, weather, drought conditions, economic variability, etc. This may not meet our current budgetary needs.
- For the first time, state law allows fire districts to collect sales tax to support critical services.
Ask the Voters for a Higher Mill Levy
- Ask voters to approve a modest property tax increase. For example, raising the mill levy from 4.8 to 8.5(a 3.7 mill increase) would cost the average homeowner with a $500,000 home about $15.00 more per month (the cost of one streaming service or one fast food meal).
- This would generate approximately $200,000 in additional revenue each year, stabilizing our budget, and allowing HFD to plan for the future.
- With the stable budget that a mill levy would provide, it would help home and business owners to continue to have fire insurance coverage at reasonable rates.
- The District has not increased their mill levy since 1998 and we hate to have to ask now,