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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 - Fire Protection District 4 Prop 2021-12 Authorizing Increase of Property Tax Levy - General Election November 02, 2021Whatcom County Auditor's Office Whatcom County Courthouse 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 103 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 January 24, 2022 Election Results Receipt Diana Bradrick County Auditor Stacy Henthorn Chief Deputy Auditor Copies of the following proposition election results from the November 2, 2021 General Election, have been delivered to the Assessor's and Treasurer's Office: Fire Protection District 4, Proposition No. 2020-12, Continuation and Extension of Sales and Use Tax for Transportation Improvements • Fire Protection District 11, Proposition 2020-7, Property Tax Levy for Fire Protection Services • Fire Protection District 11, Proposition 2020-8, Property Tax Levy for Emergency Medical Services • Fire Protection District 14, Proposition 2021-15, Authorizing Increase of Previous Property Tax Levies • Glacier Fire & Rescue, Proposition 2021-11, Authorizing Increase of Property Tax Levy ■ Fire Protection District 21, Proposition 2021-9, Authorizing Regular Property Tax Levy • Whatcom County Rural Library District, Proposition 2021-14, Establishing the Birch Bay Library Capital Facility Area Receipt Aclsr+owledged: Assessor's ffice: Name Treasurer's Office: Pffm ike, Dale Da Administration Elections Licensing Recording We gladly accept Auditor@co.whatcom.wa.us Elections@co.whatcom.wa.us Licensing@co.whatcom.wa.us Recording@co.whatcomma.us relay calls. 360-778-51 o 0 360-778-5102 360-778-5 t o o 360-778-51 o0 Language on the Ballot: Fire Protection District 4 Proposition 2021-12 Authorizing Increase of Property Tax Levy The Board of Fire Commissioners of Whatcom County Fire Protection District 4 adopted Resolution No. 2021-03, concerning a proposition to exceed the limitation on increasing property taxes. This proposition would authorize the District to levy and collect taxes at the rate of $1.45 per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation in 2022. The 2022 levy dollar amount shall be used for computing limitations for subsequent levies, as authorized in Resolution No. 2021-03. Should this proposition be: 0 Approved 0 Rejected Explanatory Statement: Fire District 4 (the District) is placing a one year lid lift on the November ballot. State law limits annual growth of the tax levy to 1 %. This has caused the tax rate to fall to $0.82 per thousand, as property values increased. Approval would raise the rate to $1.45 for 2022. The dollar amount of the 2022 levy would be used to calculate future 1 % increases. If approved, property worth $400,000.00 could anticipate an increase of approximately $21.00 monthly. This will provide sustainable funding comparable to neighboring districts. In 2022, District 4 will have no EMS levy. Statement of Votes Cast by Geography _ Page: 1 of 1 Whatcom County, Washington; General Election November 2, 2021 2021-11-23 All Precincts, All Districts, All ScanStations, FD 4 Proposition 2021-12, All Boxes 11:22:55 Total Ballots Cast: 4083, Registered Voters: 157062, Overall Turnout: 2.60% Choice Votes Vote % All Precincts FD 4 Proposition 2021-12 (Vote for 1) 4083 ballots (0 over voted ballots. 0 overvotes, 151 undervotes), 7319 registered voters, turnout 55.79% Approved 1607 40.87% Rejected 2325 59.13°% Total 3932 100.00% Overvotes 0 Undervotes 151 STATE OF WASHINGTON ) ) ss COUNTY OF WHATCOM ) This is to certify that on November 2, 2021, a general election was held in Fire Protection District 4, Whatcom County, Washington, for the submission of a ballot measure to the voters for their approval or rejection; That the results of the election were duly canvassed by the Whatcom County Canvassing Board on November 23, 2021, and the results of said canvass are as reads above. Dated this 25th day of January, 2022, Bellingham, Whatcom County, Washington. Diana Bradrick County Auditor Alm% V, .atcom County Auditor's Of e Ballot Measure Coversheet InformationDistrict District Name: Whatcom County Fire Protection District # 4 District Address: 4142 Britton Loop, Bellingham, WA 98226 Contact Person i Contact Person 2 Kerstin Parks, District Administrator Mark Lann, Fire Commissioner/Chair Name & Title Name & Title 360-318-9933, kparksd4@nwfrs.com 360-920-8912, miann@nwfrs.com Phone & email Phone & email 1�ttorney Information Joe Quinn, Quinn & Quinn, P.S. Attorney Name & Title Has your attorney prepared this ballot measure? 253-576-3232, joequinn@firehouselawyer.com Q Yes Q No Phone & email Are the following required documents included? (circle one) Resolution with original signatures or a certified copy Yes No Explanatory Statement No prepared by your attorney, not to exceed ioo words es "For" and "Against" Committee Appointment Forms Yes Completed Ballot Measure Coversheet Yes No Complete if anything is missing... I understand that the deadline to submit the missing information is The Auditor's office will not begin processing this ballot measure until all required documents have been submitted. Present s Signature RECEIVED JUL 3 0 2021a M r. DIANA BRADRICK WHATCOM COUNTY AUDITOR Deputy Audito Ignature This form is available in a fillable form on the Auditor's website: http_s:fJwww.whatcomcounty.us/3593/_District Resources. RECEIVED WHATCOM COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO.4 JUL 3 0 2021 WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON DIANA BRADRICK RESOLUTION NO.2021-03 WHATCOM COUNTY AUDITOR A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OF WHATCOM COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO.4, PROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE DISTRICT AT AN ELECTION TO BE HELD THEREIN ON NOVEMBER 2, 2021, A PROPOSITION WHICH WOULD AUTHORIZE THE FIRE DISTRICT LEVY RATE OF $1.45 PER $1,000 OF ASSESSED VALUATION FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD, AND PROVIDING THAT THE LEVY DOLLAR AMOUNT IN 2022 SHALL SERVE AS THE BASE FOR COMPUTING THE LIMITATIONS ON FUTURE YEARS' LEVIES. WHEREAS, in the judgment of the Board of Fire Commissioners (the `Board") of Whatcom County Fire Protection District No. 4 (the "District"), it is essential for the protection of the public health, safety, life, and property of the citizens and residents of the District that minimum service levels of fire and emergency medical services be maintained; and WHEREAS, a regular property tax rate of $1.45 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, applicable to all taxable property located in the district, may be lawfully levied with voter approval, as allowed by RCW 84.55 as amended, which otherwise limits annual property tax increases to 1% over and above the previous year's tax revenues; and WHEREAS, RCW 84.55.050 authorizes the 1% limit on annual increases to be exceeded with voter approval, commonly referred to as a "lid lift" election, and WHEREAS, a 1 % limitation would restrict the District from levying a property tax of $1.45 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, potentially necessitating a reduction in the level of services in the District, through longer response times, inadequate resources dispatched to alarms, increased reliance on mutual aid, reducing special services such as hazardous materials and rescue teams, and similar cutbacks; and WHEREAS, the electorate should be given the opportunity to decide whether the service levels should be reduced or instead, whether the rate of up to $1.45 per $1,000 should be levied and maintained, waiving the 1% limit of RCW 84.55, commonly referred to as "lifting the lid"; NOW THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, FOUND, DETERMINED AND ORDERED, AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. A regular property tax rate of $1.45 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, applicable to all taxable property located in the district, is necessary and appropriate to levy, notwithstanding the 1% annual increase limitation of RCW 84.55.010 et seq., as amended. RCW 84.55 places a 1% limitation on the increase of tax revenue collected by the District annually. If this increase is not approved by the voters, a reduction in services as enumerated in the fourth recital above may be needed, restricting the ability of the District to provide for the growing demand for service. This resolution and the resultant election would give the voters the opportunity to choose to continue a robust level of service pursuant to the levy rate of $1.45 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, adopted pursuant to RCW 52.16.160, waiving the 1 % limit of RCW 84.55 (commonly referred to as a "lid lift".) Section 2. The proposal set forth below, if authorized by the qualified electors of the District, will allow a levy rate of $1.45 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for a one (1) year period There shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the District, for their ratification or rejection, at an election on November 2, 2021, a proposition to exceed the 1 % limitation (and "lift the lid") of RCW 84.55.010 et seq. and levy taxes at the rate of $1.45 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for a one (1) year period; provided that the dollar amount of the levy in 2022 shall be used as the base for computing the limitations on future years' levies. Section 3. The Board hereby requests the Manager of Records and Elections of Whatcom County, Washington, as ex officio County Supervisor of Elections, to call and conduct such special election to be held within the District on November 2, 2021 in conjunction with the general election, and to submit to the qualified electors of the District the proposition in substantially the following form: PROPOSITION NO. 1 WHATCOM COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO.4 AUTHORIZING INCREASE OF PROPERTY TAX LEVY The Board of Fire Commissioners of Whatcom County Fire Protection District No. 4 adopted Resolution No. 2021-03, concerning a proposition to exceed the limitation on increasing property taxes. This proposition would authorize the District to levy and collect taxes at the rate of $1.45 per $1,000 of assessed valuation in 2022. The 2022 levy dollar amount shall be used for computing limitations for subsequent levies, as authorized in Resolution No. 2021-03. INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS: Should this proposition be; APPROVED ❑ REJECTED ❑ Section 4. A notice of special election shall be published at least once, which publication shall take place not more than ten (10) days nor less than three (3) days prior to the date of said election. Said publication shall be in a newspaper of general circulation within the District. Section 5. Approval of the proposition described in Section 3 above shall be construed and interpreted as qualified elector approval of a tax increase in compliance with RCW 84.55 as amended. Section 6. The Secretary to the Board is hereby directed to deliver a certified copy of this resolution to the Manager of Records and Elections of Whatcom County, Washington, as ex officio County Supervisor of Elections for the District. Section 7. With respect to this election, the District shall participate in the publication of information in the Local Voters' Pamphlet, including but not limited to an explanatory statement reviewed and approved by the District's attorney, a Statement For, and a Statement Against, pursuant to Chapter 29A.32 of the Revised Code of Washington. Section 8. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption. ADOPTED AND APPROVED by the Board of Fire Commissioners of Whatcom County Fire Protection District No. 4 on July 16, 2021. WHATCOM COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO.4 Attest: llle� 11LA istrict Secretary Resolution 2021-03 Commissioner Commissioner Whatcom County Fire Protection District No. 4 Explanatory Statement Proposition 1— Lid Lift Election Date: November 2, 2021 Name of Jurisdiction Submitting Measure: Whatcom County Fire Protection District No. 4 Contact Name: Mark Lann Contact Phone Number: 360-920-8912 Fire District No. 4 (the District) is placing a one year lid lift on the November ballot. State law limits annual growth of the tax levy to 1 %. This has caused the tax rate to fall to $0.82 per thousand, as property values increased. Approval would raise the rate to $1.45 for 2022. The dollar amount of the 2022 levy would be used to calculate future 1 % increases. If approved, property worth $400,000.00 could anticipate an increase of approximately $21.00 monthly. This will provide sustainable funding comparable to neighboring districts. In 2022, District No. 4 will have no EMS levy.