Vote yes on Poulsbo Fire Proposition 1, NKF&R Proposition 1 | In Our Opinion

Published 9:55 am Friday, October 10, 2014

We encourage voters to approve Proposition 1 on the Nov. 4 ballot.

If you live in the jurisdiction of the Poulsbo Fire Department, also known as Kitsap County Fire Protection District No. 18, Proposition 1 would authorize the department to borrow $2.7 million by issuing general obligation bonds, to pay for upgrades to fire and life safety equipment, and to make capital improvements to district facilities.

More specifically, the district will use the money to buy two upgraded fire engines; re-chassis, rebuild and outfit three medic units; purchase three staff vehicles to upgrade from older, high-mileage vehicles; and update firefighter protective bunker gear. Station 71 would get a new roof, a repaired and repaved parking lot and apparatus ramp, upgraded heating and cooling systems, and upgraded apparatus bay doors. station 72 would get an emergency generator.

To repay the bonds, your annual property tax levy would cost an additional $19 for every $100,000 of assessed property valuation. That’s $1.58 per month. The levy rate would decrease if the district’s total assessed property valuation increases. The levy increase would end in five years.

If you live in the jurisdiction of North Kitsap Fire & Rescue, Proposition 1 would authorize a levy increase of four years of $25 per $100,000 of assessed property valuation. That’s $2.08 per month.

The levy increase would generate $600,000 a year and would help support fire protection and emergency medical services, staffing and operations, and replacement of aging equipment.

Bottom line: Each district’s total assessed property valuation has dropped more than 25 percent since 2009. But the cost of providing fire prevention, fire suppression and emergency medical services has continued to rise.

“Although the economy is showing signs of recovery, these shortfalls will persist until assessed valuations increase substantially,”  according to NKF&R’s statement in a newsletter mailed to residents.

Poulsbo Fire and NKF&R continue to look for ways to operate more efficiently. They share training and maintenance with Bainbridge Island Fire. Several positions have been eliminated. Poulsbo’s uniformed personnel have voluntarily gone without pay increases since 2009, non-uniformed longer than that.  NKF&R’s uniformed and non-uniformed personnel have voluntarily foregone pay increases since 2010.

The fire districts need our support. Fire districts receive no ongoing funding from federal, state or county governments. The majority of their revenue comes from property taxes.

Both districts are doing what they can to maintain levels of service which we have come to expect. That level of service — quick response time, equipment that works when it’s needed, and firefighters that are safe and well-equipped — is worth an additional $1.58 (in Poulsbo) or $2.08 (in NKF&R) per month.

Vote yes on your fire district’s Proposition 1.

On Oct. 17: Endorsements for 23rd District state House positions 1 and 2, County Assessor, County Auditor, County Clerk, County Coroner.

On Oct. 24: Endorsements for County Commissioner District 3, Prosecuting Attorney, District Court Judge Department 1.