PORT TOWNSEND — Voters approved three levy lid lifts for the East Jefferson Fire-Rescue District on Tuesday.
The measures support emergency medical services in both the city of Port Townsend and surrounding county, as well as increased revenues for the general fund.
“I am extremely gratified by this vote,” said East Jefferson Fire-Rescue Chief Gordon Pomeroy.
“I’m thankful that the public has placed this amount of trust in us.”
A total of 7,494 ballots, or 50.51 percent of the 14,834 mailed to voters, were counted on Tuesday night.
All on hand were counted, but ballots postmarked by today still could arrive this week.
County Auditor Donna Eldridge estimated that about 300 votes are left to be counted.
She does not expect percentages to change.
All needed simple majorities for passage.
Votes on measures
The Port Townsend measure, which asked voters to approve restoring the city’s emergency medical service levy rate to 50 cents per $1,000 assessed value in the city, passed with 67.47 percent, or 2,302 votes, approving it, to 32.53 percent, or 1,110 votes, opposed.
The other two measures were in the unincorporated areas of the fire district.
Proposition 1, which would restore the district’s emergency medical services levy rate to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, passed with 62.54 percent, or 2,509 votes, in favor of the measure, to 37.46 percent, or 1,503 votes, opposed.
Proposition 2, which would restore the fire district’s regular tax levy for fire services to $1 per $1,000 of assessed value, passed with 54.66 percent, or 2,215 votes, approving it, to 45.34 percent, or 1,837 votes, opposed.
Pomeroy said that Proposition 2 passed by a narrower margin than the others “because we didn’t do a good enough job explaining its importance.”
Jefferson County Commissioner David Sullivan, who stopped by the auditor’s office a little after 8 p.m. to learn the results, was not surprised by the outcome.
“People value fire and rescue services,” he said. “They do a good job in making their case before the public.”
Many firefighters learned the measures had passed during a retirement party for Chief Chuck Boggs.
“It was a fitting end to the evening,” Pomeroy said.
The second posting of the votes will be on Friday, and the third, if necessary, will occur next Wednesday.
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Jefferson County reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
