Those of you who are faithful readers of this newspaper know that for more than two decades, I have submitted dozens of “Letters to the Editor.” The majority of those letters have been politically motivated. This one is not one of them. This one has nothing to do with politics. This one hurts.

While it hurts me to write this letter, I know it is necessary and important. In fact, it may be the most important letter that I have ever submitted for the public to read. The reason for writing it is twofold. One, to expose to the taxpayers what has recently occurred, and two, to hopefully prevent it from ever happening again.

Specifically, I am addressing the residents, business owners and all the taxpayers in the Youngsville Fire District, of which I am one. What the publicly elected Commissioners of the Fire District have done is not only egregious and grossly irresponsible, it is arrogant. In a recent 4-1 vote, the commissioners approved and adopted their 2026 operating budget that includes a whopping 65 percent increase from the 2025 budget! 

This outrageous increase has earned the Youngsville Fire District the distinction of the highest tax rate, far exceeding all of the other fire districts in Sullivan County.” A number one ranking that will be celebrated by no one!

This unheard-of year-over-year increase DID NOT have to happen. It SHOULD NOT have happened. The reason it should not have happened is simple. A 65 percent increase far exceeds any responsible thought process when formulating an annual budget. The reason it did not have to happen is also simple. The elected commissioners had a choice. They had the opportunity to rethink and amend the proposed budget. They willingly and arrogantly chose not to.

The 2026 proposed budget was only made available for the public to review AFTER the legally required public hearing, thereby not allowing members of the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed increase. 

After carefully reviewing the budget, clearly in disbelief of the amount of the increase, I attended the November meeting of the Board of Fire Commissioners. I questioned any possible reason for the increase. One of the commissioners replied, “We didn’t even have enough money to pay the bills last year.”

Finding that difficult to believe, I requested and carefully examined all of the district’s available financial information. This included monthly treasurer’s reports, which reflect all current fund balances, annual reports of debt service and official minutes recorded and approved by the board at each and every meeting. What I discovered was that the surplus fund balance on hand in November exceeded the total annual (2025) operating budget by more than double. The Youngsville Fire District was financially well positioned and clearly had the ability “to pay the bills” without this unwarranted increase. An increase that will negatively impact the very people that the commissioners are elected to protect: the taxpayers.

In an attempt to avert this financial hardship for many, I met with the chairman and 36-year member of the board of commissioners, Lee Ellmauer Sr. Together we developed an amended budget that had two goals in mind: First, an increase of approximately 15 to 20 percent at the most, and second, to increase the appropriation for the Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund as much as possible without exceeding our limit of overall increase to the budget. We accomplished both of those goals.

Since the proposed budget with the 65 percent increase had already been submitted to Sullivan County and the deadline for submission had passed, I requested AND received a five-day extension to re-submit an amended budget. Chairman Ellmauer called for and scheduled an emergency meeting of the commissioners to make possible the submission of a more reasonable and responsible budget. 

When the other commissioners were presented with the reconfigured budget, not only did they refuse to even consider it, they scolded Chairman Ellmauer for meeting with me! Without any discussion, the commissioners then voted 4-1 to approve the proposed budget, including the 65 percent increase! 

Chairman Ellmauer cast the lone vote to NOT approve the spending plan, which will now increase from $212,000/year in 2025 to over $350,000 in 2026!

My letter is quite lengthy as usual. I make every effort to keep each letter factual and informative. The reason this letter, unlike any other, “hurt” me to write is due to my nearly lifelong affiliation with this organization. An organization that, for the last 46 years, I have considered my second family. 

As difficult as it was to write, it was my commitment to the taxpayers that convinced me to write it. I wanted to make them aware of an unjustifiable AND preventable increase on their January tax bill. An increase attributed mainly to the line on the bill that reads “Youngsville Fire.”

The Board of Commissioners of the Youngsville Fire District meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the firehouse. The meetings are open to the public. 

The commissioners are elected to represent every taxpaying resident and business owner in the district. Get involved, stay informed. Ask questions.

The actions of these public officials showed an intentional disregard for what they were elected to do: make informed decisions on behalf of the people they represent. An informed public hopefully will never allow this to happen again.

Thomas Bose is a 46-year member of the Youngsville (NY) Fire Department, and the past president, a past chief and a past commissioner  of the Youngsville Fire District. He is also the supervisor of the Town of Callicoon.