PORT TOWNSEND — All three East Jefferson Fire-Rescue lid lift levy measures passed in a special election that ended tonight.
The three levy proposals, which were passed by simple majorities, were to maintain and boost financial support for emergency and fire services in Port Townsend and Jefferson County.
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.
The current rate of the levy in Port Townsend is 28 cents per $1,000.
The current rate for the district’s emergency medical services levy in the unincorporated areas of the county is 32 cents per $1,000.
The current rate for the regular tax levy, which is paid only by residents of the district who live outside Port Townsend, is 56 cents per $1,000.
Tax increases will be reflected in the 2011 property tax statement.
Revenue from both the city measure and Proposition 1 will be used only for emergency medical services, while Proposition 2 revenue will go to the district’s general fund.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office counted all the ballots on hand in the all-mail election tonight.
A second count of ballots postmarked by today that arrive in the mail later this week will be counted on Friday.
