Port Townsend Library levy boost approved; Brinnon fire measures lag
By Erik Hidle, Peninsula Daily News
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In southern Jefferson County, Brinnon fire district's two levies appeared to be failing, but were too close to call, were too close to call, said Jefferson County Auditor Donna Eldridge.
"The library is done," Eldridge said.
"The Brinnon ones are going to be tough, though.
"It's still too soon to say what will happen."
A proposed increase in the Fire Protection District No. 4 levy, which requires a simple majority to pass, had received 223 approval votes, or 43.47 percent.
The creation of a Brinnon emergency medical services levy received 288 votes, or 55.28 percent, approving the proposition, which requires a 60 percent supermajority to pass.
The results tallied only ballots cast on or before Tuesday, when 10,828 ballots were counted in Jefferson County races — 50.84 percent of the 21,296 ballots mailed out July 30.
About 1,000 ballots were in hand, but not counted for races in Jefferson County, Eldridge said, including those collected from ballot drop boxes at the county courthouse at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Those ballots, plus ballots received in the coming days with a postmark of Tuesday or before, will be counted on Friday, she said.
The library proposition increases the regular property tax rate by 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation on a home.
However, the Port Townsend City Council has said it will raise taxes by only 38 cents per $1,000 valuation the first year and will "bank" the remaining authorization to phase the tax increase in over three years.
City Manager David Timmons said this "ramping-up" process will allow for a less jarring introduction to the tax, and allow the city to gradually add funds to other departments in a realistic manner.
All smiles
Port Townsend Council member Catharine Robinson stood smiling at the Jefferson County Courthouse soon after the results for the library measure came in.
"I'm very excited," Robinson said.
"I felt like it might be close but, yeah, I'm very excited.
"I'm just happy for the community."
Deputy Mayor George Randels said that, he too, was thrilled with the results, and that he saw this as a sign of good community support within Port Townsend.
"It's a good number. It's very gratifying," he said.
"Now we will live up to the confidence the voters expect of us.
Initiative 747, passed statewide in 2001, restricts taxing districts to a 1 percent annual property tax increase each year.
A levy lid lift allows a tax increase above the 1 percent lid.
Voter approval of the measure means that the library will be able to return to its previous level of service, supporters of the measure have said.
The library will receive $916,000 in 2009 for operational costs and be able to return to its operating level before cuts were made in 2007.
After a proposed 10 percent utility tax was denied by voters in May 2007, the library cut hours from 54 to 46 hours a week last year, and the budget for purchasing materials was frozen.
The proposition was included on all 6,512 ballots.
sent to precincts 701, 702, 703, 704 and 705.
Brinnon
In Brinnon, Fire Chief Bob Herbst said that, while both propositions were down, he wasn't ready to count them out as of Tuesday evening.
"There are still quite a few ballots out there that haven't been counted yet," Herbst said.
"I'm thinking I need the rest of those votes in before I decide what is happening.
"I was hoping they would win by a big majority, but that doesn't appear to be the case.
"But I still hold the hope that the remaining ballots will come in and that both will make it."
In the fire levy election, 513 ballots have been returned.
In the EMS election, 521 have been returned.
The propositions were included on all 943 ballots sent to precinct 204.
Brinnon Fire District Chairman Ron Garrison said he also wasn't ready to count out the propositions.
"I don't think there is enough in there," he said.
"There are too many votes still out there.
"It's so close right now it's not even funny, because there are so many votes out there that it can change in an instance.
Proposition 1 asked residents to approve an increase in the district's regular property tax levy to $1.10 per $1,000 of assessed valuation of a home. The current levy is $0.68 per $1,000 of assessed valuation of a home.
Proposition 2 asked residents to approve the creation of an emergency medical services property tax levy of $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation of a home. There is currently no emergency medical service levy in the Brinnon precinct.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: August 19. 2008 9:00PM