BALLOT TITLE
FIVE-YEAR LOCAL OPTION TAX FOR EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL
QUESTION: Shall the Scappoose Fire District impose $.80 per $1,000 assessed value for 5-years for equipment and personnel beginning 2001-2002? This measure may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent.
SUMMARY: A "yes" vote on this measure is a vote to increase taxes.
The approval of this tax would allow for additional paid firefighter/medical positions and funds needed for fire and ambulance equipment. The Scappoose Fire District’s goal is to have 2 paid firefighter/paramedics on duty at the fire station 24-hours per day. This staffing would allow for one ambulance to respond to emergencies immediately. The District currently waits for off-duty and volunteer personnel to respond to the station prior to answering the emergency call for help.
The Scappoose Fire District’s tax rate of $1.1145 per $1,000 assessed value is deemed to be inadequate to properly insure fire and ambulance service. The Fire District’s goal is to maintain the 38 volunteer firefighters to operate fire and ambulance service with the assistance of paid staff. Emergency alarms have increased due to the continuing growth in the community. This growth has become demanding for a volunteer force.
The tax on a $100,000 home would be $80.00 per year for 5 years. The proposed rate will raise approximately $446,427 in 2001-2002, $459,819 in 2002-2003, $473,614 in 2003-2004, $487,822 in 2004-2005, and $502,457 in 2005-2006. The estimated tax cost for this measure is an ESTIMATE ONLY based on the best information available from the county assessor at the time of the estimate.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
The Scappoose Rural Fire District provides fire protection for 52 square miles and ambulance service for 100 square miles within Columbia and Multnomah Counties. District personnel respond to fire and medical emergencies from fire stations located in Scappoose, Chapman, and Holbrook. A fireboat, housed in the Multnomah Channel, is ready to respond to river emergencies at 16 moorages and marinas along 13 miles of river frontage.
The Scappoose Fire District is seeking an increase in tax revenue with a five-year local option tax. The increase in revenue would allow the Fire District to hire paid firefighter/medical personnel to staff emergency apparatus. The goal of the District is to have 2 paid firefighter/paramedics on duty 24-hours per day. The staffing would allow for one ambulance to respond to emergencies immediately. The District currently waits for volunteer and off-duty personnel to respond to the station prior to answering the emergency call for help. It can take from 7 to 9 minutes for volunteer and off-duty personnel to respond to the fire station during the night.
Funding will be used to improve the Chapman and Holbrook fire stations so they can be self-sufficient during emergency disasters. Both stations are pole-type buildings and the Holbrook Fire Station does not have restroom facilities. Improving these two stations is a priority to the District.
Tax revenue would also be used to purchase needed medical and fire equipment. A lifesaving heart monitoring machine and saving funds towards the purchase of a new ambulance are high priorities along with updating air packs for firefighting purposes.
It is the goal of the Fire District to maintain an adequate level of service using volunteer firefighters/medical personnel. The District’s tax base was approved in 1992 when we responded to 591 emergency calls for help. At the current rate, we anticipate responding to 1,000 calls for emergency help in the year 2000.
The Fire District has seen a demand in the need for services due to:
• Population growth
• New home construction
• New commercial/business construction
• Increase in emergency alarms
• Training Requirements
• Increase in commuter traffic
• Volunteer Recruitment
• Legal requirements
The present tax rate is $1.1145 per $1,000 assessed value.
Example : A home valued at $100,000 is currently taxed $111.45 per year.
The proposed additional tax rate is 80-cents per $1,000 assessed value. The combination of the two rates would be $1.9145.
Example : A home valued at $100,000 would be taxed a total of $191.45 per year for five years.
Submitted by:
David Sorenson, President,
Board of Directors
No arguments FOR or AGAINST this measure were filed.