Shoreline Fire Department provides emergency medical, and fire protection service to approximately 13.5 square miles of service area in King County. The benefit charge was initially approved by voters in 2015 and has been part of the funding model since 2016. The current ballot measure is to determine if the District will continue to impose the benefit charge in 2022.
A benefit charge is not a property tax. The benefit charge 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 will be based on a formula that takes into consideration levels of service, fire flows, the square footage of structures and the type of structures.
The District Board of Commissioners has determined that a benefit charge, provides the fairest, most stable, reliable and cost effective method for financing the operations of the District and maintaining a satisfactory level of services.
The proposition requests voters to re-authorize and continue the benefit charge to be collected for ten years from 2022 through 2031. If approved by the voters, 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 District Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing and each year property owners will have the right to appeal the amount of the benefit charge.
