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Ballot measures

November 8, 2016 General Election

City of Snoqualmie

Proposition No. 1
Public Safety Levy

The City of Snoqualmie, Washington adopted Ordinance No. 1178 concerning funding of appropriate levels of service for public safety. This proposition would fund a public safety plan, including an estimated two additional police officers and an estimated one additional firefighter to maintain appropriate service levels and response times for police, fire, and emergency services. It increases the City’s regular property tax rate by $0.23/$1,000 to a maximum rate of $2.78/$1,000 of assessed valuation for collection in 2017, as allowed by RCW 84.55. The 2017 levy amount will be used to calculate subsequent levy limits.

Should this proposition be:

Approved

Rejected


Proposition 1 authorizes the City of Snoqualmie to increase its regular property tax levy by up to $0.23/$1,000 of assessed valuation to a maximum rate of $2.78/$1,000 of assessed valuation, as allowed by chapter 84.55 RCW, to fund a plan for public safety.  The public safety plan includes adding an estimated two additional full-time equivalent police officers and one additional full-time equivalent firefighter in order to address the following budget priorities identified by the City Council: Maintain appropriate levels of service and response times for police, fire and emergency medical services for Basic Life Support and emergency response; Meet the Snoqualmie Fire Department’s goal and nationally recognized service standard of having three firefighters on duty 24 hours a day available to respond to more than one fire or emergency medical call at a time; Maintain fast response times to 911 calls; and Maintain the “No Call Too Small” community standard of responding to every 911 call.

The City Council will allocate funding among these priorities and may revise the plan.  These priorities and other details about the levy are described in City Ordinance 1178. 

Approval of Proposition 1 would cost the owner of the average Snoqualmie home ($530,000) about $120 per year, or $10 per month.  For a $265,000 Snoqualmie home, the cost would be about $60 per year or $5 per month.  The amount of the levy collected in 2017 would be used to calculate subsequent levy limits.

For questions about this measure, contact:  Bob Larson, City Administrator, 425-888-1555 ext. 1120, blarson@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

Dear Voters:

Proposition 1 is all about keeping Snoqualmie safe and preserving the outstanding record of public safety in our community.

Fire and Emergency Services:  From a City of Snoqualmie fact sheet - the city population has tripled in the past fifteen years – but the city has hired only two new firefighters, while calls for fire and emergency medical service have increased more than 44 percent.

Police and 911 calls:  Separate from our coverage of North Bend, the Snoqualmie Police Department has the same number of officers that supported us in 2000, yet calls have almost doubled.  Proposition 1 will provide funding for two additional officers, ensuring a dedicated School Resource Officer is available for all schools in the district.

In 2015, Snoqualmie police and fire responded to over 7,000 calls with an average response time of five minutes. 

Vote “Yes” to maintain Snoqualmie’s current nationally recognized service standard of three firefighters on duty 24 hours a day to respond to more than one fire or emergency medical call at a time; maintain fast response time to 911 calls; and maintain the increasingly challenging “No Call Too Small” community standard of responding to every 911 call.

Submitted by:  Dave Battey, Colleen Johnson, Todd Reynolds, 425-888-2504

No statement submitted.

Statements in favor of and in opposition to a ballot measure are submitted by committees appointed by the jurisdiction. No persons came forward to serve on the committee and to write a statement in opposition. If you would like to be involved with a committee in the future please contact the jurisdiction.

Simple majority (RCW 84.55.050)

For questions about this measure, contact:  Bob Larson, City Administrator, 425-888-1555 ext. 1120, blarson@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

 

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