WEIRTON — A proposal which would have reduced the residential portion of Weirton’s Police and Fire Service Fee was voted down during Weirton Council’s last regular meeting.

The proposal from Ward 7 Councilman Terry Weigel was tabled during council’s Oct. 7 meeting. It was designed to reduce only the residential portion of the fee from its current level of $75 per year to $50 per year.

“It’s rare we get a chance to reduce a tax on the people,” Weigel explained at the time.

During council’s Nov. 12 regular meeting, the proposed ordinance was taken off the table, by a 6-1 vote, following a motion from Ward 4 Councilman George Ash, and then voted down by the same margin with no comment.

Weigel was the lone vote in favor.

Weirton’s Police and Fire Service Fee originally was established on Sept. 9, 2002, establishing a flat, $50 per year residential fee, and assessments of 15 cents per square foot for businesses, and 8 cents per square foot for churches and schools. There is no fee on motor vehicles.

The ordinance was amended on Nov. 12, 2019, increasing the residential rate to $75 per year. At the time, officials said the idea behind the fee increase was to provide funding to hire two firefighters.

Other members of council, along with Brenda Mull, president of the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce who addressed council during the October meeting, said, while they understood the thought behind the ordinance, it wouldn’t be fair to lower only the residential portion of the fee.

According to the city’s financial statement for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the city received $2,110,063.25 through the fee. It was estimated the amendment could have seen a reduction in revenue of up to $500,000 if the ordinance had passed.