YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash.-Three fire districts have signed a resolution to place a levy lid lift on the Aug. 6 primary ballot in Yakima County.
The Board of Fire Commissioners of Yakima County Fire Districts #1, #4 and #12 signed resolutions in favor of the ballot measure, saying revenue cannot keep pace with inflation.
Yakima County voters passed initiative 747 in 2007 that restricted fire districts to a one percent limit to their annual property tax levy.
Due to current inflation rates, the one percent tax levy is insufficient to cover emergency service costs, according to a press release on the joint resolution from the East Valley Fire Department.
The fire districts and departments are requesting a levy rate that is less than the maximum of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed home value.
A levy lid lift is essential to provide staffing, apparatus repair and replacement, facilities needs, training requirements and future stability of their respective fire districts, according to today’s press release.
Each district will provide more information and details of the levy lid lift to voters in Yakima County before the August election.
