Weirton Council is in the process of increasing its Municipal Service Fee, and, while we understand the reasoning behind the thought – to expand and improve fire service in the community – there are some questions about why this specific fee was targeted to bring in the revenue.

For those unfamiliar, Weirton’s Municipal Service Fee, as it currently stands, assesses $2 per week from the paychecks of any individual who is employed within the city limits.

This newspaper spoke against the implementation of this fee back in 2004, when its stated purpose was for improvements to the city’s streets.

The concern 22 years ago was that the city was assessing a fee not only on its residents but on those who do not live in Weirton, may not benefit from the services provided through the fee, and do not necessarily have a voice in the process.

Those workers may have gotten used to having that $2 taken out of their paychecks every week in the years since, but now the city is looking at more than doubling it. That means instead of having $104 taken from their paychecks each year, if the ordinance is finalized as currently written, they now will see $260 removed just because they work in the city.

That may not seem like a lot, especially when considering other communities charge an income tax of a much higher rate, but we can’t forget there are those who are living paycheck to paycheck as it is. That money could be the difference for them between paying for housing or utilities, purchasing groceries, buying medication, or getting clothing for their children.

Today, the fee brings in around $955,000, according to city budget figures. By increasing the rate to $5 per week (as is stated in the ordinance currently before council), it could bring in close to $2.4 million per year – or approximately $1.4 million more than it currently does. Fire officials estimate they need around $600,000 additional to afford the hiring of the six new firefighters needed to staff the County Road Station. Are there other plans for the remaining funds?

Almost seven years ago, a previous administration voted to raise the residential portion of the city’s Police and Fire Service fee from $50 per year to $75. No changes were made to the business portion, which assesses a rate based on the square footage of a building. At the time, the idea was to support the hiring of two additional firefighters.

This is in no way a condemnation of Weirton’s firefighters or the service they provide. They work hard, each day, often putting their lives at risk to protect those of everyone else and deserve opportunities to improve the way they provide for the community. That includes being able to fully staff the County Road station.

It’s just a shame that whenever governments want to expand or improve services, they typically do so on the backs of their citizenry.