Fire District 4 EMS levy
Too costly and not necessary
Snohomish Planning Commission Chairman Gordon Cole writes “Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is one of the most important services provided by (Fire District 4), impacting most citizens and is critical to the well-being of our most vulnerable residents.”
Cole recently developed the five-story, 100-unit and 86-unit lower-income and senior apartment buildings on Weaver and Bickford; both less than a mile away from the fire district’s headquarters station at 16th Street and Avenue D.
The Snohomish City Council on May 6 approved a deal transferring all the city’s interest in its Maple Avenue property to the fire district so the district can purchase a $500,000 ladder truck to serve similar five-story apartment buildings.
Firefighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics already are cross-trained. In case of a large fire, EMTs and paramedics can help fight the fire; while in case of an earthquake or flood, firefighters can help administer emergency medical services.
Here are two important facts:
1. District call volumes have remained flat since 2019 at about 4,300 a year.
2. The district’s total annual property tax revenue amounts have almost doubled from $8.1 million in 2019 to $15.6 million in 2025 and it is estimated the total revenue will increase an additional 6 percent each year thereafter without another levy lid-lift.
Since call volumes remain flat, adding two additional firefighters/paramedics per shift won’t allow better response times. Cole’s many properties are less than a mile away from district headquarters. Whether there are four or six staff on duty, the ambulance truck can’t get to his site any quicker.
If Proposition 1, restoring the EMS levy to 50 cents per $1,000 of property value, passes in the Aug. 5 election, property owners will pay for it every year forever as it compounds. Tenants, including seniors, will see a rent increase as landlords pass through the tax.
I urge voters to reject this August tax increase as the voters just approved a generous tax increase less than two years ago.
Morgan Davis
Snohomish
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