The Santa Rosa Island Authority Board, as a special item on the June 11 Committee agenda, discussed how to solve Escambia County’s problem funding Pensacola Beach fire services.Escambia County has a $1.2 million shortfall in funding the beach fire services.
The County’s solution, offered at their May 1 meeting, is to increase the Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU) fee charged to Pensacola Beach residents by 125 percent and increase business fees by 1053 percent. Escambia County, which is at a $10 million deficit for its mainland fire services operations, plans to increase the mainland residents by 80 percent and businesses by 87 percent.
After discussion at the June 11 SRIA Board, two options out of eight seemed to come to the forefront. Two SRIA board members spoke favorably about the same MSBU being charged to all citizens and businesses throughtout the County. Four SRIA board members favored an increase in lease fee collections and doing away with the MSBU fee entirely. Read more for details.