Editorials: Support volunteer firefighters with levy hike
Published 8:57 am Wednesday, October 29, 2008
North Whidbey Fire and Rescue commissioners and personnel didn’t do a very good job of “selling” the tax levy lift that appeared on the ballot earlier this year. As a result, it lost badly at the polls.
Since then, the commissioners have taken the lead in making amends. The newest proposition was thoroughly aired in public, the amount of money being sought was slightly reduced as a gesture of goodwill, and Fire Chief Marv Koorn, volunteer firefighters and elected commissioners have done a much better job of bringing their message to the community that this levy lid increase is desperately needed to maintain services at their present level.
Taxing districts in this state are limited by law to a 1 percent property tax increase each year. Anything beyond that requires a vote of the people. Anyone who runs a household or goes shopping knows that a 1 percent increase in revenue doesn’t come close to keeping up with inflation. The same is true for a fire district, which watches as the cost for equipment, fuel and construction skyrocket as tax receipts are virtually flat. After a few years of this, the fire district has fallen behind in all areas.
The proposed increase from 60 cents per thousand of assessed value to 93 cents is making up for past losses to inflation. Cost for the owner of a $300,000 home will be roughly $100 the first year. That’s not chicken feed, but it’s necessary to maintain our firefighting and emergency services. Most of this essential, life-saving work is done by volunteers. The least the public can do is give them the facilities and equipment necessary to do the job safely and properly.
