Increased Costs, Decreased Revenue Prompts Fire Department Levy

“We can no longer keep up with inflation,” fire commission chair Becky Smith said at the Lopez Island Fire and EMS Department’s latest community meeting. The Department has been working double time to educate the community about its proposal on the Nov. 4 ballot for a levy rate increase.

The Department is asking for an increase from .68 cents to .75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. This is a reassessment year for Lopez properties, and values increased by approximately 23 percent, according to the San Juan County Assessor’s Office.

According to Fire Chief Rob Miesen, the Department will be in the red by 2006 if the levy rate increase does not pass, which means the commissioners will have to look into ways in which they can cut the budget. Some of the options they will explore will be charging a user fee for ambulance services and firefighting, closing stations, and cutting 24-hour advance life support services. “I really don’t want to go there unless we are forced to,” said Smith.

A steady increase in call volume, aging equipment, inflation, and a decrease in yearly tax revenue are some of the reasons for the upcoming budget shortfall, according to Smith and Miesen.

As of Oct. 7 the Lopez Department has received 215 aid calls, compared to 156 calls as of the same day in 2003. In fact, the Department has already exceeded the total number of aid calls in 2003, which was 185. “The calls have definitely increased over the years,” said Smith, adding that the additional volume equals increased cost for the Department.

Aging and malfunctioning equipment is a looming budget crunch for the Department as well. According to Miesen, ongoing problems with the 1969 water tanker and 1966 fire engine (which broke en route to a house fire earlier this year) have made it unreliable and it is in need of replacement. There is also a 1985 aid unit that will need replacement in the future. According to Miesen, the service life of an ambulance is generally five to ten years.

The Department suffered a loss of revenue due to Tim Eyman’s Initiative 767, which passed in 2001. Formerly, taxing districts were allowed to increase the tax rate up to six percent each year without the vote of the people. When Initiative 767 passed, taxing districts were reduced to a one percent increase and if more revenue is needed a district must obtain the vote of the people.

In past years the Department has been able to maintain its current level of service with the yearly six percent tax rate increase; however, since 2001 the Department has suffered a five percent loss each year. “Basically our costs have increased and our income has decreased,” said Miesen.

Miesen and Smith were asked why the Department decided on a levy rate increase rather than a bond, as some at the meeting felt a bond was a better fit for capital improvement purchases, such as replacing aging equipment. “This is a maintenance and operation levy,” responded Miesen.

If the levy passes, the majority of the additional revenue will go toward maintaining the Department’s current level of service.

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