Voters in both Mountlake Terrace and Brier have approved a permanent EMS levy for their cities at the primary polls Sept. 17.
According to the Snohomish County Auditors Office, more than 64 percent of Mountlake Terrace voters said “yes” to an early replacement EMS levy which will continue the current tax rate of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, the maximum allowed by state law, but now on a permanent basis. Just over 35 percent of Mountlake Terrace voters said “no.” This will start in 2004.
In Brier, over 69 percent of voters said yes to an early levy which will also raise their tax from 35 cents to the maximum 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value permanently. This will start in 2003.
More than 60 percent was needed to pass the EMS levies.
Levies in the past have been approved in six-year increments. The state Legislature in 2000 changed state law to allow voters to pass permanent EMS levies. Any permanent levy may be subsequently removed by referendum ballot.
“Wow— I’m tickled pink that our voters including those in my neighbor cities could see the value in the product that we deliver, said Brier Mayor Wayne Kaske.
Mountlake Terrace Mayor Pat Cordova also said she couldn’t be happier.
“I want to thank the people from Mountlake Terrace who appreciate our firefighters and have enough confidence in our city to support us like they did— makes us feel like we’re doing a good job representing them,” Cordova said. She added I’m glad they appreciate the delivery of medical services to their door.”
Mountlake Terrace will collect $574,000 from the levy each year. Their current budget for the fire department is over $2.6 million. Out of that $2.6 million, $1.1 million of it goes to just emergency medical services, said Connie Fessler, Mountlake Terrace city manager.
At the maximum rate, which both Mountlake Terrace and Brier voters have approved, the annual cost for the owner of a home valued at $200,000 is $100.
Voters in Edmonds, which was also asking for a permanent levy, overwhelmingly approved its EMS levy at 83.71 percent yes to 16.29 percent no.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
