2023 Levy Lid Lift Information

What is it?

The elected fire commissioners will place a request on the November 2023 ballot for voters to approve an increase to the levy assessed to property owners for fire protection, increasing the levy to $1.20 per $1000 of assessed value.

Currently, the levy rate is $0.75 per $1000 of assessed value

Ambulance and fire engine responding to a call

What do we do?

In 2022, we responded to 1400 calls for service in the Sumas, Kendall and Welcome communities. This is up 23% from 2015, the last time voters approved an increase to our levy.

Call type breakdown:

74% Emergency Medical Service calls
4% Fire calls
10% "Service calls"
2% False calls
9% "Good intent" calls

In addition to emergency calls, our career and volunteer firefighters complete the training required to maintain proficiency, teach community first aid & CPR classes throughout the year, as well as maintain our apparatus and equipment in fighting shape.

The District at a Glance

1 fire station at Kendall, staffed 24/7.
2 volunteer/respond from home stations in Sumas & Welcome
72 square mile service area, not including the surrounding mountain areas we respond to for fire and EMS calls
65 volunteer/paid on call firefighters
3 full time (career firefighters)
2 resident volunteer firefighters
25 vehicles, including 4 fire engines, 5 tenders/water tankers, 3 brush engines, 6 BLS ambulances, 3 command vehicles, and four support units.

How are we funded?

The fire district is funded in three major ways (2023);

Tax Levy: $739,459.63 (68%)
City of Sumas Fire/EMS contract: $279,501.00 (25%)
Whatcom County EMS Levy: $63,293.56 (6%)

Voters last approved a levy lid of $1.30 per $1000 of assessed value in 2015. Since then, the levy rate has dropped to $0.75.

Whatcom County Fire District 14 ambulance

What will this increase cost me?

If passed, the yearly increase in taxes is listed below

For a $300,000 home, the increase will cost an additional $133.32 per year, or $11.11/month
For a $400,000 home, the increase will cost an additional $177.76 per year, or $14.81/month
For a $500,000 home, the increase will cost an additional $222.20 per year, or $18.52/month

Why is this necessary?

State law restricts tax increases without a vote of the people to 1% annually, which is why the levy rate has been reduced from $1.30 in 2015 to $0.75 in 2023.
According to the Consumer Price Index, between our last levy increase (2015) and 2022, the buying power of a dollar has been reduced by 19.6%.
Meanwhile, our call volume has increased 23% since 2015, further taxing our limited funds.
Bottom line, tax revenues have not kept up with inflation or call volume increases

Didn't I just vote for EMS?

Yes, voters in the county did vote yes to continue the Whatcom County EMS levy, which primarily funds the 5 Advanced Life Support (Paramedic) ambulances in our county. These units are operated by the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County Fire District 7.

In addition to funding the county's fire/EMS dispatch center, and a combined patient reporting system, the Whatcom EMS levy will make up $63,293.56, or just 6% of our budget.

Firefighters fighting a mobile home fire

What will the increase fund?

Apparatus replacement - The newest engine in the fleet is 19 years old, while the oldest is 30 years old. Half of our ambulances are 24 years old. New engines are $450,000 minimum, and new ambulances cost over $200,000 each.
Support for our volunteer and career staff to maintain current levels of service. This increase will support hiring additional firefighters to continue providing the current level of service at our Kendall Station, as well as support our volunteer firefighters at the Sumas and Welcome stations

Responsibility with your money

We have a long track record of being responsible with your tax dollars. To that end, since the last increase in 2015, in order to not increase taxes, we've done the following:

"Home built" two tenders and a brush engine/high water rescue vehicle using donated military vehicles from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Total cost to the district: $110,000 - a savings of about $1 million over buying these fire apparatus new.
Applied for and received over $600,000 in various federal and state grants to fund new equipment, vehicles, and material losses from the Sumas flood event in 2021.
Kept repair costs down by performing maintenance in house with personnel on duty.

More Discussion

For more information on the levy, please contact either Chief Jerry DeBruin, or Assistant Chief David Moe at (360) 599-2823, and we'd be happy to discuss it with you!

Additionally, watch our Facebook page for dates for upcoming open houses at our stations, in addition to other venues to discuss the upcoming vote.