Fire Levy Lid Lift

We are asking voters for a fire levy lid lift in the August 6, 2024, primary election to reset the fire levy rate to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

How do we fund emergency services?

We fund daily operations with a fire levy capped at $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The fire levy funds fire suppression/prevention and our emergency medical service (EMS) program. We do not collect an EMS levy. Voters approved a fire levy of $1.42 in 2017. Since then, the rate has dropped to $1.16.

Why is this being considered?

Call volumes have increased more than 25 percent in the last six years. Costs rise six percent per year on average, but state law limits us to a one percent revenue increase (and one-time payments for new construction).

We have had to make cuts to balance our budget. Specifically, we are not able to fill vacant positions when firefighters leave for fire districts that are better funded. This is impacting service levels and response times.

The bottom line is patient outcome. The cost and demand for emergency services is outpacing the revenue we have to provide it. This is a concern since 70 percent of our calls are for medical emergencies.

What are the benefits of the lid lift?

The lid lift would fund:

24-hour staffing for our fire stations to improve response times
Additional paramedic-certified firefighters and modern medical equipment to improve survival rates
Replacing an aging ambulance to transport patients to area hospitals
Emergency service levels that will maintain our risk rating for homeowner insurance premiums

What will this cost?

The $0.34 levy lid lift to reset the rate from $1.16 to $1.50 would cost the owner of a $500,000 home an additional $14.17 per month or $170 per year.

What happens if the lid lift fails?

If the lid lift fails, the fire district will lose an estimated $2.9 million, resulting in:

Station brownouts or with no designated staffing
Decline in WSRB rating, increase in homeowners’ insurance rates
Longer response times
Reduced on-scene personnel, longer time to initiate and complete critical emergency action
No station updates
No apparatus replacement
Limited equipment replacement

Fire Chief Scott Sorenson welcomes your questions at 360-892-2331 or scott@fire3.org.

Presentation Available

Fire Chief Scott Sorenson welcomes the opportunity to provide a 15–30 minute virtual presentation to local groups and organizations about emergency services in the fire district and the lid lift being considered, as well as answer any questions. If you’d like to arrange for a presentation, please contact the Fire Chief at 360-892-2331 or scott@fire3.org.