PORT TOWNSEND — The City Council has decided to put a levy-lid lift for fire services on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
If voters approve it, the measure would bring the fire service taxes paid by property owners within the Port Townsend city limit to a level equal to that paid by those in unincorporated Jefferson County.
“We are doing this to achieve parity,” said Deputy Mayor George Randels on Monday.
“It’s not fair that the people in unincorporated Jefferson County should pay more for fire service than those in the city.”
The measure to put the levy-lid lift on the ballot was approved unanimously by six council members. Mayor Michelle Sandoval was not present.
The measure would raise property taxes by 43 cents per $1,000 of assessed value and would be reflected on the 2012 property tax statement.
It would be a $108 property tax increase for a house valued at $250,000.
This is lower than the 57 cents per $1,000 of assessed value requested by a measure voters defeated in August 2010.
The additional tax revenue would support fire services until the city can be annexed into the East Jefferson Fire-Rescue district for fire services.
Now, the city contracts with the fire department, which serves unincorporated East Jefferson County, for fire service.
Port Townsend City Manager David Timmons estimates annexation could take two to four years to bring to voters.
The ballot measure will stipulate that the increased levy would end upon annexation of the municipal area into Jefferson County Fire District No. 1.
The council declined to include a levy-lid lift for fire services on the April 2010 special election ballot.
At that time, voters in unincorporated East Jefferson County passed two separate measures for emergency services and fire services, while city voters approved a measure only for emergency services.
A city levy lift covering fire services was placed on the August 2010 primary ballot. It was defeated.
An interlocal agreement between the fire department and the city says that if a ballot measure passes in one jurisdiction and not in another, it should be submitted a second time.
Both jurisdictions sought a way to consolidate fire services and explored the possibility of either creating a new regional fire authority including the fire department and the city or to annex fire services into the department.
If the levy-lid lift fails, then other funds would have to be found to support fire services, Timmons has said.
While the levy-lid lift is seen as a stopgap measure to raise funds before annexation can occur, the vote for the levy should not be perceived as a vote favoring annexation, said Chris Nelson, City Council member.
Voters will be asked to approve annexation as a separate issue, and the path from one to the other cannot be assumed, she said.
Timmons said he would prepare a “clarifying statement” that would be presented to voters.
________
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
