Proposed West Pierce Fire & Rescue Levy Would Fund Over 35 Percent of Operating Budget

From West Pierce Fire and Rescue:

The West Pierce Board of Commissioners voted May 1, 2013 to place a two-year maintenance and operations levy request on the August 6th ballot.  

This two-year request is for $11.2 million dollars each year, replacing the existing levy. The levied amount will be collected in 2014 and 2015. The levy funds over 35 percent of the fire district’s operating budget. 

The fire district last approved a 2-year fire levy in 2011 for $17.9 million, which funded approximately 25 percent of the district's operating budget in 2012 and 2013.

Since 2011, the overall assessed valuation of Lakewood and University Place properties has dropped 15.8 percent, bringing fire department tax revenues to their lowest levels in 6 years. 

West Pierce Fire & Rescue holds a Class 3 rating from the Washington State Survey and Rating Bureau, one of only three fire departments in Pierce County, along with Central Pierce Fire & Rescue and the City of Tacoma Fire Department, to receive such a high rating. Renewal of this levy will provide the funding necessary to maintain the high level of service that is currently provided. 

In this challenging economy, the district has worked very hard to contain costs through a variety of methods. Employees have taken a variety of concessions over the past four years saving the district over $1.3 million.  

The 2011 merger of the University Place Fire Department and Lakewood Fire Department allowed the district to eliminate redundant positions and programs saving over $900,000 annually. The district has also aggressively sought out grant funding, receiving over $3 million in grants since merging in 2011.  

“I am very proud of our efforts to provide high quality services to the community in the most cost effective method possible," said West Pierce Fire & Rescue Chief Jim Sharp. "Everyone in the department has been involved in making a difference. Through employee concessions we have truly seen 100 percent of the department step up to help cut operating costs."

Patch spoke with Sharp about this levy last month. Read more on University Place Patch.

Will you support the proposed maintenance and operations levy? Tell us in the comments.