FRANKLIN COUNTY, Wash. – The general election is Nov. 7, and Franklin County Public Hospital District #1 is looking for the public’s support with a proposed levy lid lift.
The lift would make funds available to hire three full-time employees and renovate the station for sleeping quarters. FCPHD1 says it has seen a 21% increase in calls over the last two years, spreading resources thin.
“Quite honestly, the EMTs are tired,” Chief Ken Woffenden said. “The volunteers that are responding to these incidents do it for the love of what they do. We need to rejuvenate and give these folks a break at least a few hours a day.”
In rural areas of Franklin County north of Pasco, FCPHD1 is the only ambulance service to take residents to a hospital in an emergency.
If approved, the proposition would raise property taxes by $0.22 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The levy would increase from $0.18 per $1,000 to $0.40 per $1,000.
Properties of each below assessed value would see the following increase in taxes:
$100,000, $1.83 a month or $22 a year$200,000, $3.67 a month or $44 a year$300,000, $5.50 a month or $66 a year$400,000, $7.33 a month or $88 a year$500,000, $9.17 a month or $110 a year
Woffenden believes this increase would be well worth the cost for what the proposition would make possible.
“The gain in response time is going to be phenomenal,” Woffenden said.
Stationed in Connell, WA, the district has responded to other places to help with calls, and has needed help from the southern end of the district to respond to Connell calls. In some cases, this has delayed response when life-saving care is needed according to Woffenden.
“715 square miles encompasses 12,500 people in the [hospital district]. This doesn’t just help Connell. It helps the entire district,” Woffenden said.
Since FCPHD1 was founded in 1945, there has never been a levy lift according to the district. The district says it would not be calling for a tax increase if it was not important.
There has not been outward opposition to this proposition online or in public forums. If opinions are expressed against it ahead of the Nov. 7 election they will be shared here.
