Six Buncombe County fire districts are asking commissioners for a tax increase in the next year.
Those fire chiefs met with county commissioners Tuesday to make their budget requests.
The increases range from one cent to as much as three cents in Fairview. The fire chief there says the department needs to increase salaries to stay competitive.
They also need to hire as many as nine new firefighters.
Chief Scott Jones of the Fairview Fire Department says that when the department loses a firefighter it costs roughly $8,000 to $10,000 to reequip a new firefighter.
"So if we lose one at Fairview, if that replacement isn't the same stature weight and build, we can't put them in their turnout gear," Jones said.