Benton County Fire District #4 looking to raise levy lid; looking for community feedback
WEST RICHLAND, Wash. — Benton County Fire District #4 is looking for the community's input on putting the Emergency Medical Services levy back on the ballot this August.
The Fire Chief, Paul Carlyle, said since the levy was voted on in 2016 the rates have fallen. They went from 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value to 35 cents per $1,000 due to growth in the area.
While levy rates have decreased, call volumes are increasing. Fire leaders said their call volumes jumped 22% in 2021. They also shared that EMS accounted for 62% of all calls.
With this increase, they're now looking to reset the levy back to 50 cents per $1,000. This would bump their budget and allow them to hire more people.
"It's extremely important to be able to hire the additional personnel as our call volume increases we just need to be able to hire more staff so that way we can address the needs of the community and respond to the emergencies when they occur," said Chief Carlyle.
If the levy lid lift is approved, it would cost residents an extra $4.38 per month, or about $52.50 per year. This is based on homes with an assessed value of $350,000.
The Board of Fire Commissioners is meeting this Thursday at 6:00 P.M. where the public can join and share feedback.
For information on how to access the meeting, you can visit their website by clicking here.
