East Pierce Fire & Rescue is placing a four year emergency medical services (EMS) levy lid lift proposition on the August 1, 2017 ballot. This proposition will re-authorize the property tax levy rate for EMS of $.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, coupled with annual increases of up to 6% in each of the three subsequent years. It would provide funds necessary to operate and maintain emergency medical aid vehicles staffed by emergency medical technicians and paramedics. 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.
This proposition meets the requirement of certain tax laws, requiring any annual increase in revenue of more than 1% to be approved by voters. In 2005, 2011, and 2016 voters approved the EMS tax levy rate of $.50 per thousand dollars of valuation, resetting the lid.
Approval of this proposition would maintain the EMS tax levy rate of $.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation and 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 $158,000 in projected tax revenue.