The Central Kitsap Hire Department will soon, and likely very quietly, ask its constituent property owners to approve two separate new bond levies that together would increase its operating revenue by about 25 percent – an increase that would be added to the already programmed regular increase resulting from increased property values. Before I vote yes (and probably for more of us), I would like to know:

• Why the average salary for the paid firefighter of about $93,000 per year is not enough?

• Why additional perks in the form of overtime, benefits, medical and dental care and pensions that together cost about $50,000 per paid firefighter, is not enough?

• How many paid firefighters are going to be hired if these levies pass?

• How many hours does each paid firefighter actually work while awake during an average month?

• What exactly are the retirement benefits?

• How much more productive are paid firefighters compared to volunteer firefighters?

• Most importantly, why should taxpayers allow a system whereby their public employees earn more than twice as much money as they do, on average?

We all agree that service demands will increase. One way of better handling that, rather than always asking for more money is to reduce pay and compensation for the paid, and give it to the volunteers. Of course, answers to the above questions could make us all want to donate more? I challenge the CKFD to answer them and persuade us to vote yes.

Thomas Kleehammer, Poulsbo