MONROE – City residents will likely decide in a March 2006 election on a proposed annexation of the city into the fire district.
Snohomish County Fire District 3, which serves about 25,000 people in Monroe and the surrounding area, is supporting the measure because it would allow the district to directly ask voters for a property tax levy increase.
Under the current agreement, the district has to convince city officials to put a levy increase on the ballot. The district wants more leeway in the process; it spent about $20,000 this year to explore an alternative operation model.
“The benefit is the elimination of the problem,” said Bill Snyder, a district fire commissioner.
Officials still need to work out several things before the election, including whether to increase the number of fire commissioners from three to five, Mayor Donnetta Walser said. But in general, the change would streamline the tax collecting process, Walser said.
“It will be simpler and cleaner,” she said.
In September 2004, the district and the city went through lengthy negotiations on a levy increase of 21 cents. Voters approved the increase from $1.14 to $1.35 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
The cost to put the measure on the ballot will be decided based on the number of other issues also appearing on it, said Carolyn Diepenbrock, the county’s elections manager.
The measure’s passage requires a majority vote in the city and in the district.
Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
