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Two fire districts and one parks district in Whatcom and Skagit counties are asking constituents for tax increases on the November Ballot.
Fire Protection District 1 in Whatcom is asking voters a second time to approve a $13 million bond, after failing to gain a supermajority in the August election. The Columbia Valley Park & Recreation District is asking for a tax levy to fund the purchasing of park land, and Fire Protection District 17 on Guemes Island is asking for an increase to its existing tax levy.
Whatcom: Fire Protection District 1 bond
Fire Protection District 1, which serves Everson, Nooksack, Deming and the Nooksack Indian Tribe, is re-running its 20-year bond that earned 50.21% yes votes in the August election — short nearly 10 percentage points from passing. It asks for a tax rate of 39 cents per $1,000 in assessed value from voters to construct and equip a new fire station and purchase new equipment, about $195 a year for a home valued at $500,000.
The existing Everson station sits on a floodplain and lacks space and sleeping quarters. The new station, to be located on Everson Goshen Road, would provide space for community activities, meetings and educational programs, sleeping quarters for firefighters, and would also serve as an Emergency Operations Center in case of a disaster.
Ryan Laureau, a firefighter at Fire District 1, said the fire district covers 75 square miles, making it one of the largest fire districts in Whatcom County. With only one station to house firefighters overnight, response times are longer than they would like. Laureau said the new station could cut their response time from 20–25 minutes to 10 minutes or less.
“That tremendously affects the public we’re serving,” he said.
Fire Chief Rachel Carlson said relocating the fire station will not increase fire insurance premiums, but may actually lower fire insurance rates. With reduced response time, residents who live within five miles of the new station will be eligible for Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau credits, which can “positively impact fire insurance rates for local homeowners.”
The fire district is hosting three town hall meetings at the fire station at 101 E. Main St. in Everson: one at 6 p.m. Oct. 7, one at 6 p.m. Oct. 14, and one at 6 p.m. Oct. 18.
Whatcom: Columbia Valley Parks & Recreation District levy
The Columbia Valley Parks & Recreation District is seeking a six-year tax levy of 60 cents or less per $1,000 to fund the purchase of land for parks in Columbia Valley. The parks district does not have an existing levy — money for the purchase of its first park, Creekside Park, came from grant money.
“Our objective is to create a total of five parks throughout Columbia Valley, and lay them out in such a way that when you step out your door, the nearest park is only 10 minutes’ walk away,” parks commissioner Melonie Ancheta said.
Ancheta emphasized that the parks district is separate from the county, and all tax money from people in Columbia Valley will go back to the community in the form of new parks — “it’s strictly to support parks here for the betterment of our community.”
Previous attempts to pass a levy have been unsuccessful. The last one, in 2018, failed with only 41.39% in favor of the levy.
Skagit: Fire Protection District 17 levy
Fire Protection District No. 17 on Guemes Island is also asking for a tax increase to restore its tax levy to 50 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value.
Fire Chief Olivia Cole said that calls have increased 50% since 2020, and most of them are medical calls. Cole said the fire district is in need of new medical and fire equipment and will hopefully be able to purchase a new command rig.
The district’s last levy increase was in 2009, and the tax rate currently sits at 28 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
