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Kootenai County Fire & Rescue seeks $6 million permanent levy override on Nov. ballot
Summary
Kootenai County Fire & Rescue told the Post Falls City Council it will ask voters Nov. 4 to approve a $6 million permanent levy override to preserve staffing and service levels.
Kootenai County Fire & Rescue officials briefed the Post Falls City Council on Oct. 21 about a proposed permanent $6 million levy override that will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.
“We are taking to the ballot a levy override for the fire district. It's a $6,000,000 permanent override levy,” interim KCFR Chief Pete Holly told the council, saying the measure would help maintain staffing, support growth and preserve current service levels across the district.
Holly said the measure would cost taxpayers roughly $43 for every $100,000 of assessed value; he gave an example that a homeowner with a $400,000 property would pay about $14 per month if the override passes. KCFR staff said the proposed levy would raise the district rate to about $1.40 per $1,000 assessed value; staff described the new rate as still “well below the highest levy rate we’ve seen in the last 10 years.”
KCFR attributed its request to changes in state law and local revenue flows. Holly repeatedly cited Idaho House Bill 389 as a factor that “restricts how much our budget can grow year over year” and said urban renewal districts are also diverting tax revenues that would otherwise be available to the fire district.
The district said impact fees remain in place to fund capital needs but are “highly regulated” and cannot be used for recurring operational costs such as personnel and utilities. Holly said the $6 million figure was developed after budget analysis and is intended to provide flexibility for apparatus replacement, facility improvements and other long-term needs. He also said KCFR will review the levy amount annually and will not automatically take the full 3% annual increase if it is unnecessary.
KCFR invited the public to an informational open house on Oct. 28 at the Chamber of Commerce to answer questions about the measure. The district requested voters be informed when they go to the polls on Nov. 4.
Quotes and details in this article come from Pete Holly and Justin Kapal’s presentation to the Post Falls City Council on Oct. 21, 2025.
