Support for Spokane’s EMS levy still strong after second count

A second day of counting ballots shows that Spokane’s fire levy has maintained its strong support among voters.

With more than 36,000 votes tallied, the levy is passing with nearly 66 percent of the vote.

The levy has been in place since 1980 and generates about $8 million annually for the Spokane Fire Department, which has an annual budget of $50 million. The levy, which was set to expire at the end of the year, was last approved in 2010. The levy pays for advanced life support services performed by paramedics, operational costs, medical supplies, equipment and administrative oversight. The levy rate will remain at 50 cents per $1,000 of property value or roughly $75 a year for a $150,000 home.