BRINNON — The passage of a Brinnon Fire Department emergency medical services levy guarantees uninterrupted service for perpetuity, according to supporters.
“Now that the levy is passed, we won’t have to do any layoffs, which would have affected our 24/7 staffing levels,” said Lt. Curtis Lightner, a firefighter who worked as a department spokesman during the levy campaign.
“We also saved the ability to transport patients out of the area.”
The measure received overwhelming voter support, earning 366 votes, or 73.35 percent, in favor and 133 votes, or 26.65 percent, opposed with an estimated 20 votes left to count, according to the Jefferson County auditor.
The 499 votes cast represented a 51.55 percent voter turnout. The present levy of 50 cents per $1,000 property tax valuation required a simple majority when it passed in 2009.
To make it permanent — at the same amount — required a 60 percent supermajority.
Ballots were mailed to 968 registered voters.
The numbers met the thresholds of a turnout with more than 40 percent of the votes cast in the election and a 60 percent supermajority approval, Lightner said.
“This doesn’t change people’s property tax. It’s just a continuation of what they are already paying,” he said.
“It also makes it permanent. We don’t have to go to the voters every six years to get it renewed.”
The fire district commissioners voted to put the measure on the ballot Feb. 10.
The department’s yearly budget is $590,960, which includes $380,460 for fire and $210,500 for emergency medical services, according to Chief Patrick Nicholson.
“There weren’t a lot of questions about the levy,” Lightner said.
“People knew why we were running it.
“When the levy passed six years ago, we made promises about how the money would be spent and kept those promises, so the community felt good about that.”
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
