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King County Local Voters' Pamphlet

August 21, 2007 Primary Election


KING COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO. 37

Simple Majority (RCW 84.55.050)

PROPOSITION NO. 1
PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES


The Board of Commissioners of King County Fire Protection District No. 37 adopted Resolution No. 332 concerning a proposition to finance maintenance, operations and capital facilities.  This measure would restore the District’s regular property tax levy to an amount not to exceed $1.50 per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation for collection in 2008 and would authorize setting the limit factor at 100% plus the percentage change in Consumer Price Index For All Urban Consumers for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton Area (1982-84 = 100) reported for August of the levy year for each of the five succeeding years.  Should this proposition be:


APPROVED
REJECTED

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

    If approved by the voters, the proposition will authorize the District to levy regular real property taxes at a rate not to exceed $1.50 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation for a period of 6 years. The current levy rate is $1.35 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation.
    In 2008, the District will collect $1.50 per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation and in each of the following five years, the District will collect 100% of the previous years collections plus an amount equal to the rate of inflation in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton area as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
    The District Board has found that the tax levy and the revenue it will produce is necessary to maintain the current level of services, fire fighter staffing, equipment and facilities and to provide for the construction of a station, the purchase of equipment and apparatus to continue to improve services for the protection of life and property in the District and to enhance public safety.
    If the levy is approved, the maximum tax on a $300,000 assessed valuation residence would be increased by $45.00 in the first year or approximately $3.75 per month for the emergency services. Subsequent years increases would be limited to CPI. Using the same example of a $300,000 assessed residence and a projected 3% CPI would be equal to a $13.50 increase in the second year or approximately $1.13 per month for emergency services. Each subsequent year would be calculated in the same manner.

Statement For

    Citizens of KCFD 37 have come to expect a high quality of service delivery from its Fire Department, and rightfully so. When someone places a call to 911, they deserve a timely response by highly trained professionals to help them in their time of need. The professionalism and quality of care in our fire district is second to none. Let’s keep it that way.
    Rapid population growth, increased population density and traffic congestion are all contributing factors that challenge our fire department’s ability to meet community expectations. The successful passing of Proposition One will assure our continued staffing and service levels for the next six years.
    Proposition One is simply asking voters to restore our level of funding to the $1.50 per $1000.00 of assessed valuation as approved in 2004. It further allows the fire district to maintain its funding level, limited to a Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase, each year not to exceed $1.50 per $1000.00 of assessed valuation for a period of six years. This saves, you the taxpayer, approximately $250,000 over that time period in election costs alone. Let’s maintain our level of service. Vote YES on Proposition One.
STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Emi Ohashi, Kelly Hagen

Statement Against

No Statement Submitted.

Complete Text of Resolution

RESOLUTION NO. 332

RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION OF LEVY
(Primary Election)
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF KING COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO. 37, PROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE DISTRICT AT A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD WITHIN THE DISTRICT ON AUGUST 21, 2007, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STATE PRIMARY ELECTION TO BE HELD ON THE SAME DATE, OF A PROPOSITION AUTHORIZING A LEVY OF A PROPERTY TAX NOT TO EXCEED $1.50 PER $1,000.00 OF TRUE AND ASSESSED VALUATION AND ESTABLISHING A SIX YEAR LIMIT FACTOR SUBJECT TO OTHERWISE APPLICABLE STATUTORY LIMITATIONS.  

Background: WHEREAS, it is the judgment of the Board of Commissioners of the District that it is essential and necessary for the protection of the health and life of the residents of the District that the fire and emergency medical services be provided by the District. Such services will necessitate the expenditure of revenues for station construction, maintenance, operations, equipment and personnel in excess of those which can be provided by the District's regular tax revenue levied at the current rate per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation of taxable property within the District.

WHEREAS, The Board of Commissioners has determined that the one percent limit factor established by RCW 84.55.010 will not be sufficient to provide for the expected cost increases required to maintain and increase the level of services currently provided by the District.

Resolution: NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of King County Fire Protection District No. 37, Kent, Washington as follows:

Section 1. In order to provide fire protection, prevention and emergency medical services in the District, it is necessary for the District to operate and maintain emergency fire and medical service vehicles and to construct and remodel station facilities to be staffed by properly trained personnel equipped with proper fire fighting and emergency medical equipment.

Section 2. In order to provide the revenue adequate to pay the costs of providing adequate life protection services and facilities as described in Section 1 and to maintain reserve funds sufficient to assure the continuation of such services, the District shall, in accordance with RCW 84.55.050, remove the limitation on regular property taxes imposed by RCW 84.55.010 and levy beginning in 2007 and collect beginning in 2008, pursuant to RCW 52.16.130, RCW 52.16.140 and RCW 52.16.160, a general tax on taxable property within  the District at a rate of $1.50 per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation subject to otherwise applicable statutory limits.

Section 3. In order to provide the revenue adequate to pay the costs of providing adequate life protection services and facilities as described in Section 1 and to maintain reserve funds sufficient to assure the continuation of such services beyond 2008, the District has determined that the limit factor shall be the year end change reported for August of the levy year in the Consumer Price Index For All Urban Consumers for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton Area (1982-84=100). Such percentage shall be used to determine the actual levy rate, subject to the maximum statutory rate of $1.50 per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation, in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The funds raised under this levy shall not supplant existing funds used for the purposes described in Section 1.

Section 4. There shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the District for their ratification or rejection, at a special election on August 21, 2007, in conjunction with the state primary election to be held on the same date, the question of whether or not the regular property tax levy of the District should be restored to $1.50 per $1,000.00 of true and assessed valuation in 2007 and be adjusted by the year end change reported for August of the levy year in the Consumer Price Index For All Urban Consumers for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton Area (1982-84=100) for the following five years, subject to otherwise applicable statutory limitations. King County, as ex-officio Supervisor of Elections, is hereby requested to call such special election, and to submit the following proposition at such election, in the form of a ballot title substantially as follows:

PROPOSITION
King County Fire Protection District No. 37 - Board of Commissioners – Proposition
Authorizing Restoration of Previous Property Tax Levies.
 
The Board of Commissioners of King County Fire Protection District No. 37 adopted Resolution No. 332 concerning a proposition to restore its regular property tax levy for maintenance, operations and capital facilities. This measure would authorize a regular property tax levy in an amount not to exceed $1.50 per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation for collection in 2008 and would authorize setting the limit factor at 100% plus the percentage change in Consumer Price Index For All Urban Consumers for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton Area (1982-84=100) reported for August of the levy year for each of the five succeeding years.

Should this Proposition be:

Approved
Rejected

Adoption: ADOPTED by the Board of Commissioners of King County Fire Protection District No. 37, Kent, Washington, at a regular open public meeting of such Board on the 21st day of May 2007, the following commissioners being present and voting:

(signed)