Page 34 - Kitsap County Voter Pamphlet 2019

Ballot Measure

Kitsap County Fire Protection District No. 18 (Poulsbo Fire Department)

Proposition No. 1 Explanatory Statement Prepared by the Attorney
Emergency Medical Services Property Tax for Kitsap County Fire Protection District No. 18 (Poulsbo Fire
Department) as prescribed by law.
Levy
In 2013 the voters approved a 6-year Emergency Medical Service
“EMS” levy that was first levied in 2014. If approved by the voters
The Board of Fire Commissioners of Kitsap County Fire this measure will replace the final year of the 2013 levy by renewing
Protection District No. 18 (Poulsbo Fire Department) adopted the District’s six-year emergency medical services (EMS) property
Resolution No. 19-05 concerning a property tax levy to fund tax levy at a rate not to exceed $0.50 per thousand dollars of
emergency medical services. Will Poulsbo Fire Department be assessed valuation to be levied beginning in 2019 and collected
authorized to continue funding emergency medical services for beginning in 2020.
its citizens by continuing a regular property tax levy of $0.50
or less per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation for each of six Approval of the levy will enable the District to maintain the level of
consecutive years, with collection starting in 2020? emergency medical services currently provided on a continuing
basis including basic and advanced life support services by certified
emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
□ Yes
□ No The revenue from this levy will be used by the District exclusively for
emergency medical services.

If the levy is approved, the EMS levy on a $100,000 assessed
valuation residence would not exceed $50.00 each year or
approximately $4.17 per month for emergency medical services.

Argument For the Measure Argument Against the Measure
Vote “Yes” on EMS No argument submitted.

Kitsap County Fire Protection District #18/Poulsbo Fire Department
is seeking reauthorization of their six-year emergency medical
service (EMS) Levy. This is not a new tax, rather a reauthorization
of the levy that has been in place for over thirty years.

The EMS Levy will provide the funding needed for both Basic and
Advanced Life Support services in our community. The Poulsbo
Fire Department responds to over 2,600 EMS related incidents each
year out of their three staffed and one volunteer station. All of their
firefighters are cross-trained as Emergency Medical Technicians or
Paramedics.

The Poulsbo Fire Department relies upon the Fire and EMS levies
as their primary source of funding. The EMS Levy accounts for
18% of the fire department’s annual revenue. Loss of this revenue
will make the current service levels unsustainable. Reauthorization
of the EMS Levy back to the original $.50/$1,000 of assessed
valuation is necessary for the department to maintain service levels
now and into the future.

The Poulsbo Fire Department provides excellent emergency
medical services to the community, and they are committed to doing
so as efficiently as possible. Reauthorization of the EMS Levy will
provide your firefighters the resources needed to continue protecting
this community.

Vote Yes for EMS

Rebuttal to the Argument Against Rebuttal to the Argument For

No argument against the measure submitted for rebuttal. No rebuttal submitted

Argument prepared by Jeffrey Griffin, committee chair, Chris Quinn No committee against formed for appointment.
and William Whiteley, committee members. Further questions may
be addressed by emailing jginthewind@gmail.com, or calling (425)
941-4293.

34 The Auditor’s Office is not responsible for the content of arguments or their factual and grammatical accuracy.