LUDLOW, Ill. (WCIA) —The Champaign County general election is less than two weeks away. Voters will be asked a couple questions about increasing property taxes to benefit fire agencies.

Ludlow Fire Protection District is hoping to get the money to potentially buy new equipment, including fire trucks.

A new truck can run about $400,000, while certain fire protection gear is about $10,000 a piece. 

“We never felt like we could purchase a new fire truck,” Ludlow Fire Protection District Trustee Pat Quinlan said. “The last new larger truck [purchased] was in the 1980s.”

The ballot question looks to increase the limiting rate by eight cents per $100. That would raise about $25,000 a year to eventually go into their general fund to pay for expenses as they arise, including gear for those on the front lines. 

“Everybody needs to be safe, everybody needs to train, and unfortunately accidents can happen, but as much as we can put up front to make sure everybody is safe is trying to be responsible from the district standpoint,” Fire Chief Nathan Quinlan said. 

He recognizes that people usually don’t want to have to pay more money, but said the money would better the services the protection district is able to provide.

Ludlow is not the only fire protection district seeking more money. Thomasboro has a similar question on the ballot as well.