TITUSVILLE, Fla. — An upcoming vote could help bolster firefighter pay in Brevard County.

What You Need To Know

  • Brevard County may boost firefighter pay by cutting an economic program

  • Nearly 100 firefighter positions are vacant due to low wages

  • Decision could redirect $3 million annually

Right now there are nearly 100 vacant positions in the department as they’ve left for higher paying jobs.

Leaders are proposing to cut an economic growth program that was created following the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011.

Many people had to leave the area, especially in Titusville and north Brevard County.

This led the county and city to partner and create the North Brevard Economic Development Zone.

The first major project brokered by the zone was bringing Blue Origin in.

The commercial space company has since built a sprawling rocket building factory employing thousands.

That was the beginning of an economic rebirth of the space coast.

“It was kind of the thing that pumped life back into north Brevard,” says Brevard District 1 Commissioner Katie Delaney. “It was the first business to get the ball rolling to get the rest of the space industry going again.”

If approved by commissioners, $3 million in annual funding for the zone would be diverted to pay firefighters more competitive wages.

Delaney isn’t happy this "found" money is solely coming from a county agency in her district.

“I said it at the last commission meeting. Thank you for finding a sacrifice in my district, but have you looked in your own backyard?” she said.

The commission voted 3-2 to stop payments to the development zone and take over any funding not spent this year.

Tuesday’s county commission meeting has an agenda item dealing with fire assessment, so it’s possible commissioners will address the wage issues then.

The meeting is set to begin at 9 a.m., Tuesday, in conjunction with the North Brevard Economic Development Zone Special Board meeting.