Scappoose Rural Fire District - Measure 5-285
BALLOT TITLE
Replacement five-year local option levy for emergency service operations.
Question: Shall District levy $1.99 per $1,000 of assessed value for five years beginning 2021-2022 for emergency service operations? This may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent.
Summary: Scappoose Rural Fire Protection District provides fire, rescue, and emergency medical services. With this measure, the District's elected Board of Directors is asking voters to replace the current local option levy of $1.24 per $1,000 of assessed value.
In 2020 SRFD responded to 1,916 calls of which 40% were overlapping medical call, which is a 15% increase from 2016. The community's demand for Fire and EMS response is increasing.
The current local option levy funds over 60% of operations for fire and ambulance response for the district. This proposed levy will retain all current emergency response staff and add three additional 24-hour positions. This will fund 2 ambulances 24/7 and improve response times with over lapping calls.
The new local option levy would increase the existing levy by $0.75, making this new local option levy $1.99 per $1,000 of assessed value and will begin 7/1/2021. The new rate of $1.99/$1000 on a home with a $200,000 assessed value would increase your taxes $150.
The levy would raise approximately $2,668,639 in 2021·2022, $2,745,608 in 2022-2023, $2,827,977 in 2023- 2024, $2,912,816 in 2024-2025, and $3,000,200 in 2025- 2026, for a total of $14,155,040.
Submitted by:
David Sorenson, Board President
Scappoose Rural Fire District
No explanatory statement submitted.
No arguments in opposition to this measure were filed.
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Tualatin Valley Firefighters Union Supports Measure 5-285 So We Can Serve Our Community Better
I am pleased to write on behalf of the men and women who proudly serve as firefighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics for Scappoose Rural Fire District.
Thank you!
First, let me pass on an important message from all of us — thank you. Thank you for your past support and your willingness to consider additional funding so that we can better serve you.
Help Us Serve You Better!
You call, and we come as fast as we can. However, there are times when the Scappoose main station is only staffed with one ambulance. This means an ambulance must come from another community when there are multiple calls. This takes time, a fast and reliable paramedic response and transport to the emergency room is critical to survivability in the event of a heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest or significant trauma. When an ambulance must come from another community, critical care is delayed. This levy will provide the residents of Scappoose Fire District with a faster and more reliable response to medical incidents as well as residential and commercial fires, motor vehicle crashes and other emergencies. This will be achieved by hiring three additional positions, allowing the fire district to staff two ambulances or one four person engine 24 hours a day.
Your support for this levy will allow us to better serve you. Please join us in voting YES for Measure 5-285, and help us provide you with faster, more reliable EMS and fire protection services.
Justin Krieck - Tualatin Valley Firefighters Union - IAFF Local 1660
(This information furnished by Justin Krieck, IAFF Local 1660)
The printing of these arguments does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the arguments.