As inflation continues to raise costs, the property taxes Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue (CCFR) collects are not meeting the demand for increased calls and services.
CCFR Chief John Nohr said in the span of three years since 2019, the cost of a single fire truck rose by $350,000. To help shore up the loss in revenue, CCFR commissioners may ask voters to approve a levy lift increase on the Aug. 16 primary election ballot.
Taxpayers currently pay the fire district $1.26 per $1,000 of their assessed property value each month. An approved levy lid lift will raise property tax collection to $1.50 per $1,000 assessed property value. Under state law, the fire district can increase the amount taken by 1% every year, but any more than that must be approved by voters.
Because the allowed property tax increases have not kept up with property value increases in the district, the levy rate has dropped from $1.50 per $1,000 to $1.26 per $1,000 since 2017.
“The amount of money that we can tax can only go up by 1% each year, but if the [property] values of the district go up by 5% each year, our rates are gonna go down,” Nohr said.
Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue expects to make just over $15 million in 2024 from its current levy rate. With a 1% levy rate increase, the district will make no more than $15.15 million in 2025. An approved lid lift of $1.50 per $1,000 of property value would supply fire stations with roughly $18 million in funds, a $2.85 million difference.
Nohr said the lid lift is vital to complete two major fire district projects next year, one being the construction of a new fire district in west Ridgefield. Nohr estimates that a new fire station would cost between $7 million and $9 million to build. The district owns 2 acres of land for future construction on the corners of Hillhurst and Royale roads. Because of traffic concerns, Nohr said the fire district may sell the land to purchase another area on Hillhurst. The new fire station would speed up response times for both downtown Ridgefield and unincorporated lands in east Clark County, south of the city.
“We’re all tied in as a system. So, if one (station) is out on service for a call, the next closest unit takes that call for them,” Nohr said.
Fire district leaders also want to complete the construction of its Woodland station soon. Station 29 on Scott Avenue is partially built, currently maintaining two bay doors. The second half of the station would cost approximately $4 million, Commissioner Larry Bartel said. Completion of the building would increase response times for Woodland operations.
Nohr said other additional funds raised from a lid lift would be utilized to hire and maintain staff for fire-rescue services. Station 25, located in Woodland, is currently unstaffed.
The levy-lift would additionally fund:
• Two new fire engines — $1 million each
• One water tender to provide trucks with water — $500,000
• New bay doors for Station 26 in Dollars Corner — $200,000
• A septic field for Station 22 located north of Battle Ground — $70,000
• Parking lot adjustments and construction for station 22 located north of Battle Ground — $100,000
• A phone system and floor maintenance for Station 21 in East Ridgefield — $100,000
• A building expansion for station 21 in East Ridgefield — $3-5 Million
• Roof and heating, cooling and ventilation replacement for Station 151 north of Clark County Fairgrounds — $200,000 for CCFR
• Purchase of land for a future fire-rescue training location — $1 million
All current capital projects for CCFR are estimated to cost anywhere between $15,870,000 and $20,870,000. At press time, CCFR was scheduled to discuss the levy lid lift and vote to place it on the Aug. 16 ballot on April 25.
