Walker County’s method for funding fire protection and emergency management services is being challenged in court by a trio of residents claiming the fee is a tax.
The litigants are set to appear before a superior court judge in November. The class action lawsuit is one of several in Georgia challenging how counties fund fire protection and emergency services, a representative from the Association County Commissioners of Georgia said.
To fund firefighting and emergency management services, Walker County charges property owners a per-square-foot rate for structures, with a minimum and maximum fee, according to the county. Many counties use the fee model to fund firefighting and emergency management services, while others fund the services from their general fund.
The lawsuit claims payers don’t receive any special benefits because renters and visitors to the county receive fire and first responder medical services, too. The payment’s broad application is really more like a tax, the lawsuit said, and only the Georgia Assembly can levy taxes.