Following wildfires and annual surges in population, North Carolina officials have allowed a boost in some of Brunswick County's fire fee funding.
The county's fire fee was being charged at the maximum allowed, not allowing room for local fire departments to have additional revenue to continue growing. Now, the maximum fire fee amounts that some local fire departments may charge within their fire districts could bring in thousands of additional revenue all together.
"Brunswick County is the only county in North Carolina that funds fire protection through a fire fee system rather than a fire tax... Most Brunswick County fire departments have already reached those statutory maximums," as stated in recent county commissioner meeting packet.
In April,
representatives from local fire departments and the commissioners requested state legislators increase the statutory fire fee caps to help address critical funding needs.
Fire fee amounts are governed by North Carolina General Statutes, which establishes maximum fee limits. Fire fees are calculated based on the heated square footage of a building, or on the acreage of a vacant property.
Gov. Josh Stein signed the Fiscal Year 2026–2027 State Budget into law on July 7. The budget included legislation amending the county's fire fee authority, ultimately boosting some fire department's ability to charge an additional 10-25%.
Although the legislation is now in effect, county commissioners had to amend the county's adopted fiscal year 2027 budget ordinance to incorporate the updated fire fees for the affected fire districts.
The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing regarding the changes in the fire fee funding as a result of the adopted state budget. Following the hearing, board members approved the requested changes as presented, Brunswick County Commissioner Pat Sykes being the only opposing vote.
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Savanna Tenenoff covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at stenenoff@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: State and Brunswick officials raise fire fees to boost funding
