The Upper Milford Township Board of Supervisors said they will review the distribution of money collected under the foreign fire tax regulation at the Oct. 5 meeting. The money is disbursed to municipalities to help offset the cost of operations for fire departments which serve them.

Jason Tapler, assistant fire chief for the Vera Cruz Fire Department Station 28 at Vera Cruz, expressed concern to the supervisors about the increasing number of residential housing units in Fire Station 28’s operations area and the distribution of money collected under the state’s foreign fire tax law. He suggested the board might consider redrawing the lines or the percentages distributed to the township and used for supporting fire companies. Tapler assured the supervisors he was “not trying to cause an argument,” but was only trying to get a dialog started on the issue.

Supervisor Robert Sentner said currently the foreign fire funds are being paid out equally to both fire departments. Fire Station 28 at Vera Cruz is one fire station and Fire Station 19 at Old Zionsville is the other of the two stations serving Upper Milford Township.

Foreign fire tax is paid by homeowners who have their property insured by an out-of-state insurance company. For example, if a homeowner is insured by an in-state company such as Erie Insurance Company, the homeowner does not pay a “foreign fire tax.”

Tapler, in a post meeting interview said, “I wasn’t trying to be negative, but only get a dialog started on a process I have never fully understood.” He said over 600 homes have been added to Fire Station 28’s area which has increased the responses to the community by the firefighters. Tapler has been with Fire Station 28 for 22 years.

The supervisors agreed to look into their current policy of making a 50-50 split of the foreign fire tax distribution.

In other business, supervisors reminded the residents the Vera Cruz Halloween Parade will form 6 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at Mystic Chain Park in Vera Cruz and start moving 7 p.m. The parade is sponsored by the Vera Cruz Community Association.