Firefighters in Miami Township are asking Greene County voters to fund fire and EMS equipment and vehicles through a permanent 0.8-mill property tax levy expected to appear on the November ballot.
The levy would cost property owners $28 per year for every $100,000 of appraised home value, according to the Springfield News-Sun. The measure is projected to generate $204,136 annually for the department, according to the Xenia Daily Gazette's 2026 voters guide.
A Department Stretched Thin by Aging Equipment
Miami Township Fire-Rescue serves the Village of Yellow Springs and the surrounding township, and the department's fire and EMS calls have already exceeded last year's total, the News-Sun reports. Fire Chief Jim Cannell took over the department in July 2025.
Fire Engineering describes a 10-year lifespan for turnout gear. Fire Engineering describes a 10-year lifespan for turnout gear.
The department plans to finance a $1.35 million fire engine.
One Million Park Visitors, One Small Budget
Miami Township's service area includes several outdoor recreation destinations. The fire-rescue service protects roughly 27.6 square miles spanning Yellow Springs, the Village of Clifton, and surrounding unincorporated territory, according to Miami Township Fire Rescue. Within that footprint sit John Bryan State Park, Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, and Glen Helen Nature Preserve. The service area receives more than one million visitors annually, according to Miami Township Greene County.
WHIO-TV reported a rescue at John Bryan State Park in 2025, according to WHIO-TV.
A Budget Squeezed by the Shift to Paid Staffing
The department operates as a combination agency with eight full-time employees, 13 part-time members, and one volunteer, per Miami Township Fire Rescue's own figures.
The department is turning to taxpayers to address its equipment needs. Township trustees outlined in July 2026 that MTFR is in the midst of a broader shift toward a largely paid emergency response model, including expanded rapid response times and a community paramedic program, according to Citizen Portal — a transition that eats into the operating funds left over for big-ticket purchases.
The department has also faced costs for equipment needed to keep firefighters safe. A capital equipment levy, if passed, would free up operating-budget money that is currently being stretched to cover both staffing and gear, letting each pool of funds do its intended job. The levy is intended to address the department's equipment needs.
A Headquarters Built for a Different Era
MTFR operates from one centrally located station in downtown Yellow Springs.
Greene County voters are expected to decide the levy in November. If approved, it would add a permanent 0.8-mill property tax.
