East Pierce Fire and Rescue is placing a four year emergency services lid lift proposition on the August 1, 2017 ballot. This proposition will maintain the current level of fire suppression, rescue, and fire prevention services, and staff an additional paramedic unit. This measure will re-authorize the property tax levy rate of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation coupled with annual increases of up to 6% in each of the three subsequent years.

This proposition meets the requirement of certain tax laws, mandating that any increase in revenue of more than 1%, over the previous year, be approved by voters.  The voters previously approved the property tax levy rate of $1.50; this would re-establish that authorized amount.  The dollar amount of the levy in the fourth year would be used to establish the base amount for calculating 1% increases in the future.

Approval of this proposition would allow the Fire District to maintain the high level of services it provides to the community. Rejection of this proposition would lead to the loss of approximately $1,768,000 in projected tax revenue in the first year alone, which could affect the Fire District’s ability to continue its level of services.