WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Levies proposed for fire, police departments

Jessie Stensland reports from the Oak Harbor City Council:

Oak Harbor residents may get the chance to vote on whether to raise taxes to fund a series of public safety improvements, including a second fire station that was first identified as a need in 2006.

The proposed levy lid lift, which requires a simple majority to pass, would raise from $1.3 million to $1.9 million annually, depending on how many new firefighters are funded and if the police station facility improvement is funded. That would add from $159 to $237 per year to the average property tax bill. The proposal is to fund additional staff and equipment for both departments, a replacement fire engine and a police department remodeling project.

An excess levy would require a supermajority vote of 60%. The proposal is for a 20-year bond to fund a $6 million fire station and a 12-year loan for a $1.2 million “quint” ladder truck. The proposed excess levy would raise about $566,000 annually and would add about $71 per year on the average tax bill for a limited period of time.

They Said It

Councilmember Shane Hoffmire questioned why building a fire station had been delayed, especially since voters were asked to pass a levy “to fix potholes” in the intervening years. He said it’s important to emphasize to the public that the city isn’t raising taxes unilaterally, but just offering voters the option. “Firemen are pretty universally loved,” he predicted. “It will pass.”

Councilmember Brian Stucky pointed out that the increased property tax would be in opposition to the community’s need for affordable housing and asked whether the measure would be supported by the community, especially since the school district is already asking voters for a property tax increase. He questioned whether some of the police department’s requests were “wants” more than “needs.”