Olympia city council votes to move regional fire authority proposal to voters

In a 6-1 vote last night, the Olympia City Council adopted a joint resolution with Tumwater to form a regional fire protection authority, its operations and finance plans, including the imposition of a fire benefit charge (FBC).

The resolution also provides the cities' voters the choice to approve or reject the creation of the proposed RFA at a special election set for April 25, 2023.

If 60% of voters in that election approve, the proposition would form the Olympia-Tumwater Fire Authority and adopt the plan to provide fire protection and emergency medical services. 

The RFA would be funded by property tax - not to exceed $1.00 per $1,000 of assessed value, and a six‐year fire benefit charge - not to exceed 60% of the RFA's operating budget. 

Before voting on the joint resolution, Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby opened a public hearing for the creation of the RFA. See other story.

Councilmembers' opinions

In favoring the RFA, Parshley said Olympia might have a world-class department, but it is under stress, not just financial but personnel and mental health. "This is reflected in our response times."

She said RFA is the best way to reduce the fire department cost by shared costs and reduce the stress on the staffing because of the increasing number of people.

Councilmember Jim Cooper said the city has to borrow money or pay debt service to improve the fire and medical services.

"[Creating the RFA] is an opportunity not to have to pay that debt service and put those funds into the fire service," he said.

Cooper admitted the FBC formula is regressive. He said the committee talked about other options and even discussed the levy lid lift with them.

"But I will point you back to Aaron BeMiller and his explanation of the erosion of property tax. We will be in that situation again. We have to have other options for funding things," Cooper said.

Cooper said they must immediately design a Plan B if the voters rejected the proposals. 

Dissenting opinion

Mayor Pro Tem Clark Gilman is against the RFA proposal.

"I believe that this RFA was planned around revenue and the department needs rather than how to best create the benefit for the community," Gilman said, adding there is no compelling case for creating one.

He said he is willing to support the fire department but unwilling to support the "inflexibility of the process, particularly the FBC, and the hubris from the consultants and attorneys saying that every other jurisdiction uses that formula."

"We were told earlier in this process that we had to take this path and use this because the law would require this sort of a formula. The RCW recommends using assessed value as the best proxy for the value of the property that you're [defending]," Gilman noted.