King County Fire Protection District No. 40 Benefit Charge Proposition (April 2013)

## Contents

* 1 Election results
* 1.1 King County
* 2 Text of measure
* 3 Explanatory statement
* 4 Support
* 5 Opposition
* 6 See also
* 7 External links
* 8 Footnotes

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A King County Fire Protection District No. 40 Benefit Charge proposition was approved on the April 23, 2013, election ballot in King County, which is in Washington.

This measure authorized the King County Fire District No. 40 to continue collecting benefit charges for six more years. Benefit charges are not based on the value of property but on the risk factors and cost of providing fire protection services to the property being charged the fee. See details below in the Explanatory statement.

This measure requires a 3/5ths (60%) majority approval rate to pass according to RCW 52.18.050(1).[1]

## Election results[edit]

### King County[edit]

King County Fire District 40 Prop. 1

Result| Votes| Percentage
a Yes|  2,947|  87%
No| 422| 12%

These election results are from the King County elections office

## Text of measure[edit]

Language on the ballot:

“  | Shall King County Fire Protection District No. 40 be authorized to continue voter-authorized benefit charges each year for six years, not to exceed an amount equal to sixty percent of its operating budget, and be prohibited from imposing an additional property tax under RCW 52.16.160?

Yes

No[1][2]

| ”

|
|

## Explanatory statement[edit]

This is a statement provided by the King County elections office:

“  | King County Fire Protection District 40 is responsible for providing fire protection and emergency medical services in your community. For over the last twenty years the Fire District has funded these services primarily through a combination of property taxes and voter approved benefit charges.

Benefit charges are based on risk factors and the cost of providing fire protection services, unlike property taxes that relate to the value of property. Under state law, voters must renew the use of benefit charges every 6 years and the Fire District’s Elected Board of Commissioners is required to hold a public hearing each year to review and establish the amount of the benefit charge. Once established the aggregate amount of the charge is pro-rated to individual properties based on risk factors and collected by the county assessor, together with property taxes. The amount of any benefit charge imposed on any given property cannot exceed the measurable benefits of the services afforded to the property by the Fire District and are subject to appeal.

Under state law, fire districts which collect benefit charges authorized under Chapter 52.18 RCW have reduced taxing authority. Benefit charges can constitute no more than 60 percent of a district’s annual operating budget and the fire district’s maximum property tax rate is reduced from $1.50 to $1.00 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

If approved, Proposition 1 would continue the current funding methods utilized by Fire District 40 to provide emergency medical and fire protection services for the next 6 years.[1][2]

| ”

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## Support[edit]

Below are statements in support of this proposition:

“  | Voters of King County Fire District #40 first approved the Fire Benefit Charge (FBC) in 1990, reauthorizing it in 1995, 2001 and 2007. We are asking for your support to ensure fire and life safety protection for the citizens and businesses of Fairwood.

What is the advantage of the FBC? The FBC provides funding for appropriate staffing levels for a 24-hour Aid Car, a fire engine and modern apparatus to respond to emergencies. The fire district can keep its facilities safe, updated and maintained to provide essential services. The FBC allows the fire district to be less dependent on property taxes while maintaining stable service levels for its citizens.

State law allows the FBC to be up to 60% of the fire district's operational budget. The district's Board of Fire Commissioners has stayed well below that amount, with a ten year average of 40.3 percent.

We ask for your support in keeping our community safe. Vote yes on Prop 1!

This Fire Benefit Charge is endorsed by:

King County Councilman Reagan Dunn (R)

Washington State Senators: Bob Hasegawa (D-11th) and Joe Fain (R-47th)

Washington State Representatives: Pat Sullivan (D-47th), Zack Hudgins (D-11th) and Steve Bergquist (D-11th)[1][2]

| ”

|
|

These arguments were prepared and submitted by Doug Gibbs, Marcia Holland, and Bill Taylor.
drgibbs40@aol.com

## Opposition[edit]

No statement was submitted in opposition to this proposition. If you have an argument that you would like posted here please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

## See also[edit]

* April 23, 2013 ballot measures in Washington
* King County, Washington ballot measures

## External links[edit]

* King County Website, Election Information

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 King County Voter’s Quides
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

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