MUKILTEO — City leaders are hitting the streets in hopes of getting voters to change their minds — at least the ones who voted no — on the emergency medical service levy.
Fifty-one percent of Mukilteo voters said yes to the city’s EMS levy in September’s primary election, but the measure needed 60 percent approval to be adopted.
Saying that massive budget cuts will be in the offing if the levy isn’t approved, the City Council will ask the voters to say yes again on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.
If not, a city that had to use $282,000 in reserves to balance its 2003 budget will have to figure out how to pay the city of Everett $420,000 for emergency medical services in 2004, even though general fund revenues are down by about $1 million compared with this year’s budget.
"What we’re doing is taking the message to the street," Mayor Don Doran said.
State law requires that all EMS levy revenues be spent on emergency medical services, Doran said, and added that the council approved a resolution stipulating that the money not be spent elsewhere.
The International Association of Fire Fighters Local 3482 backs the levy, said Kirk Galatas, the group’s president.
"We’re fully in support of it," Galatas said. "We’ve kind of run out of reasons to not support it."
He said some members still have issues with the levy, but the larger group agrees that it is needed to make sure the city will continue to have viable EMS service.
Saying that a higher voter turnout will help the levy’s cause, Doran said four City Council races that were uncontested during the primary all have two candidates in the general election, which means four heated races should bring voters to the polls.
The permanent levy would cost a property owner 40 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or about $100 a year for the owner of a $250,000 home.
The amount the tax would generate would fluctuate but would average about $835,000 each year between now and 2011. The tax increase would have to be approved by at least a 60 percent super majority.
Doran said an independent funding source is needed because the cost of providing emergency medical service is growing faster than the city.
The cost went from $102,000 in 2000 to $136,000 in 2001, $380,000 in 2002 and $450,000 this year, he said. The trend, tied in large part to the cost of liability coverage, is expected to climb upward, leaving the city with a bill of more than $600,000 next year.
Reporter Lukas Velush:
425-339-3449 or
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