There are many reasons to vote NO on the RFA.
This article shows that there are huge errors in the estimated revenue. Of course, the RFA won't actually charge Intercity Transit, Evergreen Christian Center, or the fire stations, because they are all legally exempt. That means that the Fire Benefit Charges they have calculated will not actually produce enough money to cover their initial budget.
Even thought that budget does not plan for any new fire fighters, fire stations, or fire engines, it still requires an additional $10.5 million/year charge on our property tax bills. Their (flawed) calculator says my house is $417/year. If 10% of the properties are actually exempt, then that will have to go up 10% to cover that shortfall.
And go up even more if they are actually provide adequate service. They plan zero new firefighters in the seven-year plan. But the population is going up about 2% per year. So we will have 14% worse service if they don't add any staff or equipment. Which means the Fire Benefit Charge will be a lot more than $417 within a couple of years. They can raise it up to 4X (~$1,600 on my house; something similar for YOUR house).
Meanwhile the formula charges small apartment buildings a much higher rate than large ones. A 5-unit, 800 square-foot apartment building would pay $195/year per unit. But a 50-unit building of 800-square-foot apartments would pay only $60/year, and a 200-unit apartment building only $30/year. So the small complexes, owned by local real estate investors providing for their retirement get the shaft, while the big national corporate landlords get off easy. The could have simply done it on a per-square-foot basis, but they instead chose a "square root of the square feet" formula that shifts costs to smaller property owners.
Our neighbors in Littlerock and Rochester fell for the RFA gimmick six years ago. Last November, voters, fed up with the higher property tax bills, did not approved continuation of the extra charges on their property tax bills. So the RFA had to lay off much of its staff, and close two of their five fire stations. We don't want that kind of problem here in Olympia and Tumwater.
For honest information about this measure, and how it threatens the quality of our fire and emergency service response, visis www.saveourfd.org.
Big new fees. no new service. Vote NO. Keep your fire service local.
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