North Highline Fire District provides emergency medical, and fire protection service to the areas within North Highline Fire District. The Board of Commissioners is requesting that voters approve the continuation of the existing benefit charge to replace the expiring benefit charge approved by the voters in 2014.
A benefit charge is not a property tax but is a user fee designed to allocate the cost of the services provided by the District in reasonable proportion to the measurable benefit a property receives. The benefit charge is based on a standard industry accepted formula that takes into consideration fire flows, structure square footage and the type of structure. If the benefit charge is approved the District’s statutory tax authority is reduced by $.50 per thousand of assessed valuation.
The Board of Commissioners has determined that a benefit charge, established in conjunction with a lower level of property taxes, provides the fairest, most stable, reliable and cost effective method for financing the operations of the District and maintaining satisfactory levels of service.
The proposition requests voters to authorize the continuation of the benefit charge to be collected for an additional ten years from 2021 through 2030. The benefit charge will be established by November 30th of each year for collection the following year. Prior to establishing the benefit charge each year, the Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing and each year property owners will have the right to petition for adjustments in the amount of the benefit charge.
