Voters were approving a tax increase to pay for new emergency radio systems for police in Monroe and Sultan in early election returns Tuesday night.
Both cities asked for tax increases to pay for radios, equipment and officer training for the new 800-megahertz radio system. Both measures held narrow leads Tuesday night.
Eventually, the county’s dispatch service will no longer operate on VHF radios, and police and fire agencies throughout Snohomish County are converting to 800 megahertz. Dispatchers use the system to send firefighters and police to residents who call 911.
Firefighters and police along the I-5 corridor already have switched. Monroe and Sultan are expected to convert to the new system by 2005.
The system will cost Monroe about $756,000, and voters were asked to approve an 8-cent property tax increase, which would cost about $20 a year for the owner of a $250,000 house.
Sultan’s cost is about $400,000, and voters were asked to approve a 12-cent increase, adding about $24 a year for the owner of a $200,000 house.
A second proposed levy in Sultan, to raise money for new police officers, appeared to be failing. Sultan asked voters to approve an 81-cent property tax increase to pay for two additional police officers and a records clerk. The positions were eliminated during budget cuts two years ago.
The additional positions would allow for two officers on duty around the clock, increasing the force from eight to 10.
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