North Kitsap fire asking voters to replace expiring EMS levy in August

North Kitsap Fire & Rescue is among five Kitsap fire agencies proposing levies on this year's August 6 primary ballot. NKF&R's Proposition 1 would renew an emergency medical services property tax levy for the fire agency. The measure would replace but not increase NKF&R's current EMS levy, which is set at a rate of $0.50 or less per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Approved in 2019, the current levy is set to expire in 2025. It replaced an identical levy in 2013. If approved, the proposed levy would take effect later this year, with collection beginning in 2025.

"The biggest thing I'd like [voters] to know is, this is not a new tax," said NKF&R chief Rick LaGrandeur. "This is a continuation of a levy we've had for many years."

The Kitsap Sun calculated that under both the existing and proposed EMS levies, someone owning a $400,000 home in North Kitsap would pay approximately $200 in annual property tax for the levies. LaGrandeur added that if people want to understand the exact impact of the levy on their property, they are welcome to reach out to NKF&R.

"We want people to make an educated decision," he said.

Besides the current EMS levy and the fire district's standing fire levy, there are no other NKF&R measures active for North Kitsap voters, according to public information officer Michele Laboda.

Revenue from the existing EMS levy makes up 20% of NKF&R's total revenue. The money goes toward "everything we need to provide patient care in the field," LaGrandeur said. This includes ambulances and medical supplies, as well as personnel costs, which LaGrandeur said make up 70% of NKF&R's expenditures. According to the agency's website, 46 of NKF&R's 61 employees are first responders, with six additional day-shift responders who can be called to an incident site at any time.

A Kitsap 911 report said that NKF&R's average response time for the first six months of 2023 was six minutes and 44 seconds. The agency's average response time for the first six months of 2024 was six minutes and 46 seconds.

The agency responded to 3,623 calls in 2022 and 3,726 calls in 2023. Approximately 65% of each year's calls were medical.

"To maintain the levels of service that we've implemented in our fire district, we definitely need to continue [the levy]," LaGrandeur said.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: EMS levy renewal for NK Fire & Rescue on August primary ballot