Spokane County Fire District 4 proposes new tax to fund emergency fire services
Spokane County Fire District 4 is proposing a new levy on the Aug. 6 ballot which would fund fire services in the northern Spokane County district
The district employs 37 full-time firefighters and also relies on about 50 volunteers. It covers about 330 square milesm including Deer Park, Green Bluff and Elk.
The fire district was devastated last summer by the Oregon Road fire, which burned more than 10,000 acres and destroyed 126 homes.
The proposal would raise the levy rate of $1.16 per $1,000 of property value to the maximum of $1.50, costing the average owner of a $400,000 property in the area about $600 a year, an additional $136 compared to the current rate.
District 4 voters last approved a levy increase in 2021, but district officials say it hasn’t kept pace with the needs brought by a growing population and inflation, especially in the last few years. The 2021 levy lid lift lasted only one year, setting a new cap for what the district could raise in property taxes.
The levy would maintain current service and allow the district to make improvements, Fire Chief Bill Neckles said.
“Right now, what we’re looking at is the potential to maybe add some seasonal staffing to help respond to wildfire response,” Neckles said.
District 4 official material said the proposal is crucial for the safety and operation of fire services as 70% of the department’s nearly $16 million annual budget is funded by the fire levy.
Neckles said the levy’s failure wouldn’t prevent the district from providing essential services, but in the long term it would hinder its ability to meet the needs of a growing population as it would be too expensive to keep equipment at the same levels of quality.
“Ultimately, it would take its toll on our ability to continue to provide the same level of response that we do today,” Neckles said.
The fire district will host an open house at Station 41, 315 E Crawford St. Deer Park, at 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday in which community members can ask questions about the proposal.