Fire Districts Seek Levy, Bond Support

Two Valley fire districts will ask voters to weigh in on money matters on Tuesday.

Voters in the Spokane Valley Fire District will vote on a $7.7 million maintenance and operations levy. Newman Lake voters will be asked to approve a $500,000 bond issue, which Fire District 13 would use to purchase updated fire equipment.

The $7.7 million Valley Fire levy would replace an existing levy. This levy translates to $1.57 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Currently, residents pay $1.49 per $1,000 assessed value.

The levy represents slightly more than half of the fire district’s $14.5 million budget for 2001. The rest of the funding comes from regular property taxes.

Valley Fire plans to buy a new pumper truck in 2001, as well as look at the possibility of building a new station.

Passing the levy is essential for the department to maintain current levels of service, Valley Fire Chief Pat Humphries said.

He’s cautiously optimistic that the levy will pass. The optimism comes from the fact that the district continues to stay busy and provide good service, Humphries said.

In 1999, Valley Fire responded to 467 structure fires, 835 vehicle accidents with injuries, and went on 5,533 emergency medical runs.

“I don’t think people realize how active we are. People forget how much we do for the public,” he said.

The caution comes from concern over whether enough voters will show up to validate the election. This so-called validation number is equal to 40 percent of the voters in November’s general election. This would require 10,997 people to vote in the Valley Fire District.

Also, these levies need 60 percent approval to pass.

Voters have passed all Valley Fire levies since 1980 except one in 1996.

Just in case this levy doesn’t pass, Valley Fire commissioners have a back-up plan. They have scheduled another vote, if needed, for April 25.

Newman Lake Fire District 13 needs a turnout of at least 240 voters to validate its $500,000 bond proposal. The term of the bond is 10 years.

The bond rate would be 52 cents per $1,000 assessed property value.

The money raised from the bond would help the volunteer fire district replace up to five of its nine vehicles with newer used equipment.

The district has two pumpers from the 1960s. The 1965 Ford pumper recently failed a national pumping test due to its age and breakdowns.

Because of the old equipment, the district often has to request aid from other districts. Response time for such aid can be 30 to 60 minutes.

The 22-square-mile rural district has 900 homes and responds to an increasing number of calls. In 1999 the district responded to 70 calls, up from 48 in 1997.

The bond would be a significant increase in the district’s projected 2000 budget of $178,000, said Newman Lake fire commissioner Clayton Andersen.

Newman Lake voters have passed five of eight levies or bond issues since 1980.