West Pierce Fire & Rescue outlines Nov. ballot measure to replace levy with a six‑year fire benefit charge

Chief Jim Sharp of West Pierce Fire & Rescue told the Lakewood City Council on Sept. 23 that the district is asking voters on Nov. 5 to approve a new funding method that would replace the maintenance and operations (M&O) levy with a fire benefit charge (FBC) while reducing the statutory rate of the regular levy by about one‑third.

Sharp said the measure would not increase the district’s total operating revenue but would change how it is collected. “We’re not asking for more money or a new taxing method on top of what already exists,” he said; instead, the FBC would be a fee tied to a property’s physical structure rather than assessed value.

Why it matters: Under the property‑tax model, owners of identical homes pay very different amounts when assessed values differ; Sharp illustrated that two 2,600‑square‑foot homes could be taxed very differently if one has a waterfront view. The district’s FBC proposal would bill by structure size, use and fire risk so similarly sized homes and buildings would pay the same FBC regardless of assessed value, he said.

Sharp walked the council through recent incident data to explain the rationale. He described three fires this summer — a single‑family house, an apartment building and a large commercial structure — and the dramatically different response resources and out‑of‑service hours each required. The commercial fire, he said, involved about 40 apparatus and produced more than 300 hours of apparatus out‑of‑service time; staff hours committed ranged from dozens for the house and apartment fires to more than 600 hours for the commercial fire.

Details and limits: If approved, the FBC would be enacted for six years (the minimum statutory term), after which it must be renewed by voters. Sharp emphasized an annual public‑hearing process: the Board of Fire Commissioners would hold yearly hearings to review any changes to the FBC methodology or rates. He also cited a statutory cap that limits the FBC to a percentage of the district’s operating budget; he estimated the FBC would represent roughly 45% of operating budget needs, below the 60% cap noted in state law.

Equity and exemptions: Sharp said exemptions that apply under property‑tax law — for example, for low‑income, elderly or disabled homeowners — would carry over to the FBC. He estimated, from 2024 modeling, that roughly 80% of residential homeowners in West Pierce would have paid less to the fire district in 2024 had the FBC been in effect, though he cautioned the assessor’s future valuations can change outcomes.

Council questions: Council members sought clarity on renewal and administrative controls. Sharp said the initial enactment would go to voters; thereafter, the amount charged would be set through the board’s annual public hearing and adoption process rather than via repeated ballot measures. Members also pressed on whether the new methodology could raise rents if multifamily owners pass charges to tenants; Sharp said jurisdictions vary and impacts depend on local housing and assessment patterns.

What happens next: Sharp directed residents to westpiercefire.org/vote for details and said the district will continue public outreach. If voters approve the measure on Nov. 5, the district intends to replace the M&O levy and reduce part of the regular levy while implementing the FBC in 2025. Council members expressed appreciation for the presentation and the clearer mapping of response costs to fees.