PORT TOWNSEND — Voters embraced a proposed levy lid lift for the Port Townsend Library on Tuesday night, with 2,082 votes, or 63.73 percent, approving the proposition.
In southern Jefferson County, Brinnon fire district’s two levies appeared to be failing, but were too close to call, were too close to call, said Jefferson County Auditor Donna Eldridge.
“The library is done,” Eldridge said.
“The Brinnon ones are going to be tough, though.
“It’s still too soon to say what will happen.”
A proposed increase in the Fire Protection District No. 4 levy, which requires a simple majority to pass, had received 223 approval votes, or 43.47 percent.
The creation of a Brinnon emergency medical services levy received 288 votes, or 55.28 percent, approving the proposition, which requires a 60 percent supermajority to pass.
The results tallied only ballots cast on or before Tuesday, when 10,828 ballots were counted in Jefferson County races — 50.84 percent of the 21,296 ballots mailed out July 30.
About 1,000 ballots were in hand, but not counted for races in Jefferson County, Eldridge said, including those collected from ballot drop boxes at the county courthouse at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Those ballots, plus ballots received in the coming days with a postmark of Tuesday or before, will be counted on Friday, she said.
The library proposition increases the regular property tax rate by 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation on a home.
However, the Port Townsend City Council has said it will raise taxes by only 38 cents per $1,000 valuation the first year and will “bank” the remaining authorization to phase the tax increase in over three years.
City Manager David Timmons said this “ramping-up” process will allow for a less jarring introduction to the tax, and allow the city to gradually add funds to other departments in a realistic manner.
