Fire district budget petition circulating

05/30/2006

Michael Gannon , Register Staff

WEST HAVEN — The annual Memorial Day Parade was the backdrop for some city residents who claim they are fighting fire district taxation without representation. Chief William "Wiggie" Johnson of the Center District Fire Department said Monday at the parade that he did not hear the scattered smattering of boos from residents upset with the department’s new budget. Nor did he hear oinking sounds that are an offshoot of the "Wiggie is a Piggie" slogan that was chanted last week at the meeting where the Board of Fire Commissioners passed the budget.

"Many of my men are veterans, and we marched proudly today as veterans and as firefighters," Johnson said.

He said a petition drive is fine by him. "Veterans have fought and died so that people have the right to circulate petitions in this country."

Residents are upset over the passage of a $10.67 million budget for 2006-07 that was passed last week. People also are upset over a two-minute special meeting of the commissioners on Saturday at which they refused to reconsider the budget.

A handful of residents were circulating petitions at the parade, aimed at forcing the budget to a referendum.

"I don’t know how many other people are out here," said one man who declined to give his name. "But I’m getting a lot of signatures. This as like the American Revolution."

The question now is whether or not a fire district, protected to a large extent by home rule, is bound by a petition drive.

Resident Spencer Ludington happily signed.

"And I made all my family sign too," Ludington said. "This is ridiculous. There are three fire districts, which mean we pay for three chiefs, three assistant chiefs, three fire marshals, three assistant fire marshals. We should have one fire chief, just like we have one police chief."

Ludington said fire departments should have all they need for the safety of the public and the firefighters, but believes that the Center District has gone too far.

"They just want the taxpayers to give them things like a $950,000 ladder truck that they don’t need," he said.

The man handing out the petitions said West Shore District residents recently forced a $1 million reduction in their fire budget.

Michael Gannon can be reached at mgannon@nhregister.com or 789-5710.