King County Local Voters PamphletSept. 14, 2004 Special ElectionsPROPOSITION NO. 1
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Statement For |
Statement Against |
The citizens in our community expect HIGH QUALITY Fire and Emergency Medical Services. We have those exceptional services NOW in the Federal Way Fire Department. In order to keep it that way, we need the citizens in our community to VOTE YES for the Federal Way Fire Department “Proposition One” in the upcoming election. The purpose of this proposition is to meet the requirement of Initiative 747 by asking you, the voters, to re-authorize and maintain the current funding rate and the present level of Federal Way Fire Department services, by allowing the Fire Department to continue to collect the statutory amount of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for one year. A YES vote on “Proposition One” ensures that our professional firefighters, employed by your YES VOTE, will remain at full readiness twenty four hours each day, fully prepared and trained to respond to protect you, your family, your home and property from fire and life threatening emergencies without any service reductions. Thanks for voting YES, and thanks for CARING about our community. STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Bob McKenzie, Dean Gullikson, Dave Myers |
NO STATEMENT SUBMITTED.
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FEDERAL WAY FIRE DEPARTMENT
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON
RESOLUTION NO. 383
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OF FEDERAL WAY FIRE DEPARTMENT PROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE DISTRICT AT A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD THEREIN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PRIMARY ELECTION ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2004, A PROPOSITION WHICH WOULD MAINTAIN THE CURRENT FIRE DEPARTMENT LEVY RATE OF $1.50 PER $1,000 OF ASSESSED VALUATION LIMIT PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED FOR THE TAXING DISTRICT, APPLICABLE TO ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE DISTRICT, IN EXCESS OF THE LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY CHAPTER 84.55 OF THE REVISED CODE OF WASHINGTON.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OF FEDERAL WAY FIRE DEPARTMENT, KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON, AS FOLLOWS:
WHEREAS, in the judgment of the Board of Fire Commissioners (the “Board”)
of Federal Way Fire Department (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 $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation,
applicable to all taxable property located in the district, has been previously
authorized and may be lawfully levied within the limits prescribed by Initiative
747 (RCW 84.55.010, as amended) which limits annual property tax increases
to 1% over and above the previous year’s tax revenues; and
WHEREAS, Initiative 747 authorizes the 1% limit on annual increases to be exceeded
with voter approval, commonly referred to as a “lid lift” election,
pursuant to RCW 84.55.050; and
WHEREAS, a 1% limitation would restrict the District from levying its full
authorized levy rate of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, necessitating
a cutback in the level of services in the District, including cancellation
of orders for new apparatus and equipment, layoff of personnel, eliminating
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
cutbacks should occur or instead, whether the full authorized rate of $1.50
per $1,000 should be levied and maintained, waiving the 1% limit of Initiative
747 which has been incorporated into the law, 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 $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, applicable to all taxable property located in the district, has been previously duly authorized, and is necessary and appropriate to levy, notwithstanding the 1% annual increase limitation of RCW 84.55.010 et seq., as amended by Initiative 747. Initiative 747 places a 1% limitation on the increase of tax revenue collected by the District in 2005. Such 1% limitation on the increase would cause a loss of revenue to the District of up to $500,000. Such a loss would necessitate cutbacks in services as enumerated in the fourth recital above. This resolution and the resultant election would give the voters the opportunity to choose to continue service pursuant to the previously authorized levy rate adopted pursuant to RCW 52.16.160 (the “third fifty cents”), 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 continued levy rate of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. There shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the District, for their ratification or rejection, at a special election held in conjunction with the primary election on September 14, 2004, a proposition to exceed the 1% limitation (and “lift the lid”) of RCW 84.55.010 et seq. and levy the full authorized rate of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, subject to statutory and constitutional limits, which are otherwise applicable.
Section 3. The Board hereby requests the Manager of Records and Elections
of King County, Washington, as ex officio County Supervisor of Elections,
to call and conduct such special election to be held within the District
on Tuesday, September 14, 2004, and to submit to the qualified electors
of the District the proposition in substantially the following form:
PROPOSITION NO. 1
FEDERAL WAY FIRE DEPARTMENT
MAINTAINING PROPERTY TAX LEVY RATE
OF $1.50 PER $1,000 OF ASSESSED VALUATION
To ensure the continued delivery of fire protection and emergency medical services for the citizens and residents of the District, shall Federal Way Fire Department be authorized to exceed the 1% limitation on annual increases in property tax revenues, and be allowed to maintain the tax levy rate within its previously authorized limit of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value, as authorized by Resolution No. 383
(This shall not be construed to authorize an excess levy and shall be subject to otherwise applicable statutory limits, except the 1% limitation required by RCW 84.55.010 et seq..)
INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS:
To vote IN FAVOR OF the foregoing proposition, mark a cross (X) in the “Levy,
Yes” square.
To vote AGAINST the foregoing proposition, mark a cross (X) in the “Levy,
No” square.
LEVY, YES [ ]
LEVY, NO [ ]
Section 4. The locations of the polling places, if any, shall be as specified by the Manager of Records and Elections of King County, Washington, as ex officio County Supervisor of Elections for the District.
Section 5. 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 6. Approval of the proposition described in Section 4 shall be construed and interpreted as qualified elector approval of a tax increase in compliance with Initiative 747 and RCW 84.55 as amended.
Section 7. The Secretary to the Board is hereby directed to deliver a certified copy of this resolution to the Manager of Records and Elections of King County, Washington, as ex officio County Supervisor of Elections for the District, at least 45 days before the date for the special election.
Section 8. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
ADOPTED AND APPROVED by the Board of Fire Commissioners of Federal Way Fire Department on May 20th, 2004.
Signed:
Chair/Commissioner Mark Freitas
Commissioner Roger Hershey
Commissioner William Gates
Commissioner Mark Thompson
Commissioner John Rickert
ATTEST:
Donna Conner, Secretary
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Joseph F. Quinn, Attorney, WSB#6810
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