You still have a couple of opportunities to learn about fire assessment rates and requests for improvement to fire stations and department equipment for the 2020 proposed budget. There’s a public meeting tonight, at 6, at the William H. Jervey Venice Public Library. If you can’t make that, the last public meeting is at 6 p.m. on September 10th at the Gulf Gate Public library. The 2020 proposed budget includes a 1 point 1 percent increase in the assessment. Fire assessments are the main source of funding for fire protection services in unincorporated areas of the county, and Sarasota city. You can learn about the changes to the assessment rates, the methodology used, and ask questions.