Clallam County Fire District 3 has a proposed levy lid lift on the ballot in the November general election.
I wanted to communicate why they are asking you to consider this request.
Call volumes have increased to the point that the demand for service is exceeding the amount of revenue we receive to provide that service.
Our fire district is limited to a 1 percent revenue increase per year, which is not keeping up with the cost of inflation at 3 percent to 5 percent.
The fact is that more people require the district’s help now than ever before.
It could be because we are all getting older, myself included, or perhaps more people are moving to the area because of the first-class emergency services District 3 provides.
Either way, adequate revenue is essential to meeting this demand.
The lid lift would cost the average homeowner $5 per month or $60 per year.
By law, it cannot exceed $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value, which is an amount our community has approved in the past.
That amount has fallen to $1.26 per $1,000.
James Barnfather,
Sequim