Jean Stockton’s View

Current Rural Metro Costs and Incorporation Benefits

• Rural Metro quoted $250 per house annually for fire suppression services if San Tan Valley incorporated (based on 2017-2018 pricing, though Stockton noted this may have changed)
• Stockton currently pays over $600 per year for Rural Metro services
• Incorporation would reduce costs for current paying customers
• Lower costs would make fire services accessible to residents who cannot afford $50/month (equivalent to about $600 per year)
• More residents could afford $250 annually ($20/month) compared to current pricing

Democratic Control Over Fire Services

• Incorporation would give residents voting rights on fire suppression services
• Residents would vote on whether to include fire suppression services, potentially using Rural Metro
• If residents vote to include fire suppression services, the town could contract with Rural Metro or another provider and pass costs to residents
• Town would have the possibility of subsidizing fire services to reduce resident costs further, though Stockton noted this is not guaranteed
• Example (hypothetical): If base cost is $25/month, town subsidy could reduce it to $20 or $15/month
• Residents would have voice in determining what services the town provides

Expanded Service Capabilities

• A new law allows incorporated towns to provide fire suppression services beyond their borders, which San Tan Valley could consider
• San Tan Foothills residents (outside mapped incorporation area) could receive services under town contract
• Rural area residents could pay the same rate as town residents if the town extends a contract to them
• Town of Queen Creek currently provides this service model to residents outside their borders
• Queen Creek’s fire services have been cheaper for some residents compared to Rural Metro, leading them to contract with Queen Creek instead
• This expanded service model could benefit nearby residents even if they cannot vote on incorporation