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SVFD BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS RECOMMEND LEVY LID LIFT TO REBALANCE THE BUDGET
For Immediate Release:
April 27, 2022
Contact:
Julie Happy
Community Affairs Manager
Spokane Valley Fire Department
509.892.4155
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SVFD BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS RECOMMEND LEVY LID LIFT TO REBALANCE THE BUDGET
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Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) has seen significant increases in emergency responses with more than a 44% increase over the last seven years (2015 – 2021). In 2021, SVFD responded to over 18,000 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) incidents.
Levies are the primary funding source for fire and emergency services provided in the Fire District. This means levies pay for staffing, equipment, operating expenses to provide structure and wildland fire suppressions, advanced life support-paramedics, fire prevention, and other essential services to the citizens in our Fire District.
SVFD currently funds roughly 61% of our daily operations and our capital replacement needs through our non-permanent special Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Levy.
“Providing understanding to the different levies will help outline the current need for a Levy Lid Lift,” said SFVD Fire Chief, Frank Soto Jr. “The Levy Lid Lift is for our Regular Fire Levy, which is our permanent levy and now only accounts for roughly 39% of our overall budget. What we want is to be less dependent on our current non-permanent M&O Levy with the goal of lowering it in the future.”
The unbalance of levy funding, increase in 911 call volume, and increase in operating expenses are why SVFD is asking our voters to consider this Fire Levy Lid Lift.
“Having the budget unbalanced in this way and the department more dependent on the M&O Levy is a dangerous position to put our fire department in because SVFD is too dependent on funding from a non-permanent special levy (M&O),” said SVFD Board of Fire Commissioner’s Chair, Patrick Burch. “The Levy Lid Lift will help change this position, making us a more financially secure fire department.”
The goal of the Board of Fire Commissioners is to avoid long term indebtedness in the forms of bonds and a position of fiscal conservativeness for the citizens of the SVFD Fire District. The Board of Fire Commissioners has determined that this proposition is necessary to maintain an effective level of services, staffing, equipment, and facilities due to rising costs.
“Our ability to serve our community starts with our community,” said SVFD Board of Fire Commissioners member, John Guarisco. “The citizens of our community make it possible to continue to provide the essential and necessary services for the protection of the health and life safety of the residents of the SVFD Fire District.”
SVFD is a junior taxing district with the authority to tax property at $1.50 per $1,000 of property value. In 2001, I-747 capped the tax at 1% per year growth on the budget. As the assessed value of property has increased, the levy rate has been reduced from $1.50 down to $1.0457.
The legislature passed RCW 84.55.050 which allows the voters to approve a levy lid lift for a maximum of six years and to set the annual levy rate. In the City of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Millwood, and our unincorporated areas of Spokane County, a levy lid lift to $1.50 per $1,000 for assessed value on a $400,000 home will equate to an additional $15.14 per month in taxes.
It is recommended that the Fire District restore its regular real property tax levy rate to $1.50 per $1000 of assessed valuation in 2022 for collection in 2023 for sustainability.
More information can be found at spokanevalleyfire.com
About Spokane Valley Fire Department
The Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) serves a population of 136,000+ over 75-square miles, including the cities of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and Millwood, as well as surrounding unincorporated areas. In 2021, our cross-trained Firefighter/EMTs and Firefighter/Paramedics responded to more than 22,400 emergency calls.
Established in 1940, SVFD is committed to pursuing excellence and is distinguished as an accredited agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), and by SVFD’s Class 2 fire insurance rating from the Washington Survey and Rating Bureau
Connect with SVFD at: spokanevalleyfire.com. For department news, safety information, and timely updates, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Did you Know?
- You can sign up for a station tour. Great for small groups.
- You should replace the batteries in your smoke alarms twice a year.
- Creating a defensible space with regards to wildfires could just save your home or property.
- We have Friends & Family CPR classes every month.
