Please Vote Yes for East Pierce Fire Rescue to maintain current level of service.
The renewal of this expiring levy is crucial to maintaining current levels of emergency services. We understand that many citizens were unable to support the August levy request to increase funding to improve services and firefighter safety.

This is a renewal, not a new tax.
Your rates stay the same—about $0.37 per 1,000 of assessed value. As new construction occurs within the district, the rate is projected to drop after 2015.

Steps the fire district has taken to cut costs.
The district has already reduced costs through wage concessions, training cuts and deferred purchases of fire engines, medic units and other necessary equipment.

The current levy provides 14% of our annual operating budget.
Failure of the levy would force further cutbacks that will result in a reduction of services that include closure of stations or a decrease in emergency responders—all of which will increase response times.
Emergency calls and costs have steadily increased. Levy funds will go directly to maintain emergency operations. The district needs your support to maintain this important current funding source.

We don't think any residents are unhappy with service from East Pierce Fire District. The problem for voters is the District’s mindset of unending growth and expansion.

We think it is time to rein in our Fire Department. They want to add more Firefighters, build more buildings, buy more equipment, increase their territory, and be one of the highest paid Fire Departments in the country.

Let's use the "Department of Common Sense" when we consider our vote. Do we really need a new district headquarters? What’s wrong with leasing for now? Wilkeson pulled out of EPFD. Maybe others will pull out in the future. Remodeling our stations will do. They do not have to be the biggest and best. Why do we need three Firefighters per fire truck? What's wrong with bringing back the Volunteers for that purpose? EPFD uses “National Standards” as the reason they need more firefighters. That sounds like a way to grow without a real need.

We like our Firefighters, but that shouldn’t mean an automatic rubber stamp every election. Let’s do what our elected Commissioners seem unwilling to do.

Be Brave! Vote No on the East Pierce Fire District Maintenance and Operations Levy.

This measure isn’t about expanding/growing. The district heard the voters in the August election and dropped the request for funding additional firefighters. It’s about maintaining current levels of service, period. Failure to renew the existing levy will reduce firefighters and paramedics on duty, fire engines and medic units responding to your emergency and will increase fire damages with reduced survival rates for those sick or injured. Please check the facts at www.yesforemergencyservices.org

Submitted by: William Sandlian, Margaret Drotz, and Raymond Bunk

Before you vote, consider this: The average 10% increase in property values for 2015 added to new construction values makes the $0.37 levy moot. EPFD gets $2.00 per $1000 already! Whoa!! That is enough!!!

Whining about layoffs and shortfalls? Closing fire stations? Ridiculous!! Cutback those high salaries and benefits you’ve given yourselves during this recession. Time to get to work. Pierce Transit did. The folks are waiting.

Be Brave! Vote No!

Submitted by: Rose Hill, Jacquelyn Whalen, and Richard Willner, 253-848-5836

Download the full text of the resolution

60% yes vote with a minimum number of 5,032 yes votes (Wash. Const. Art. VII, sec. 2(a))