North Mason Fire levy on August ballot

North Mason Regional Fire Authority will have a levy restoration proposal on the Aug. 6 ballot that will allow the district to add two firefighters, according to the department’s statement about the levy.

NMRFA saw a 53% increase in call volume in 2023 compared with 2009, when voters approved the last levy.

In 2009, the levy rate passed was $1.49 per $1,000 of assessed property value. State law now limits an increase of 1% per year for the fire levy collection, meaning NMRFA currently collects $0.81 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

That’s a 46% decrease since 2009.

“The Fire Authority has done everything possible to hold off a need to ask for voters to restore the fire levy rate. We have worked to secure multiple alternative funding sources to include grants, revenue from timber sales, new Medicaid reimbursement, and others to maintain current operations despite the 1% increase limitation on the fire levy collection. But as the community continues to grow and the NMRFA sees operating costs rise, the Fire Authority is having difficulty sustaining operations and meeting the ever-increasing service demands,” the statement says.

Operating costs have risen by 10% for basic supplies and 50% for emergency supplies, in addition to the rising cost of fuel, insurance, utilities and labor, according to NMRFA.

Under the proposed levy restoration of $1.11 per year, the owner of a $400,000 home would pay an additional $10 per month, the statement reports.

NMRFA now has one of the lowest fire levy rates of the 15 fire districts in Mason and Kitsap counties, with only Mason County Fire District 17 (Hamma Hamma) and Bainbridge Island having lower rates.

Ballots for the August primary are set to be mailed in July.