King County EMS officials brief Burien council on proposed $0.25 levy; council backs moving measure toward ballot

King County Emergency Medical Services leaders and King County Fire District 2 officials briefed the Burien City Council on May 19 about recommended program and financing changes for the next EMS levy and asked cities to consider placing a levy measure on the ballot.

Michelle Plourde, Emergency Medical Services Division Director for King County, told council that “the current EMS levy expires at the end of this year in 2025,” and outlined work by an EMS Advisory Task Force to identify programmatic needs, reserves and a funding plan for a six‑year levy. The task force recommended a ballot rate of $0.25 per $1,000 of assessed value to fund paramedic (ALS) programs, increased basic life‑support (BLS) funding for fire departments, regional services and strategic initiatives.

Fire Chief Jason Gay, representing King County Fire District 2, described local impacts. He said the department runs more than 13,150 calls a year, about 75% of which are medical responses, and highlighted outcomes the county tracks: “77 of those calls, CPR was initiated by bystanders,” and locally about 45.5% of confirmed out‑of‑hospital cardiac‑arrest patients who received CPR left the hospital with minimal neurological deficit, a performance county officials describe as national‑class.

Plourde summarized the levy task force’s recommendations: continue the existing ALS allocation methodology with contingency reserves, increase total BLS funding (a proposed $5 million increase, including $3 million for basic funding and $2 million to support community programs), index funding to CPI‑W plus 1%, and invest in regional initiatives such as training, data systems and a telephone referral program that diverts nonemergency calls. The full non‑Seattle county package was presented with an expenditure plan and reserves intended to cover cumulative revenue and cost risks.

Plourde gave estimated taxpayer impacts: at a $0.25 levy rate, the county estimates an annual cost of about $212 for a homeowner of an $850,000 property. The task force recommended placing a six‑year levy on the November 2025 general‑election ballot.

Council discussion focused on local benefits and logistics. Chief Gay noted that Burien hosts a medic unit at the department headquarters and said levy funding would support training, equipment and mental‑health and equity initiatives. Councilmembers praised the county’s regional system and noted the levy supports programs beyond police or fire patrols, including mobile integrated health and co‑response teams that link people in crisis to community services.

A councilmember moved to place the briefing item on the next regular meeting’s consent agenda so the city can proceed with required actions; the motion passed unanimously. City staff told council the formal steps to get a levy question on the ballot will return to council in June with draft ballot language, an explanatory statement and information on pro/con committee appointments, and that August is a key deadline for materials to reach the ballot office.

Why it matters: the proposed EMS levy funds the county’s paramedic and basic life‑support system, training, equipment and regional programs that directly affect response capacity and emergency care in Burien. If placed on the November 2025 ballot and approved by voters, the levy would provide funding for medic units, training, data systems, mobile integrated health and locally based BLS funding for Burien’s fire service.