If we support VIFR, why are we voting no to the levy lift?

It is because the real numbers paint a picture of a well-run fire and rescue district, with adequate annual income from its existing levy and robust reserves.

We are proud of the outstanding emergency services VIFR delivers every day. According to the survey in the new VIFR Strategic Plan, 77% of islanders who had used VIFR services in the past five years rated the service they received as excellent. This was before VIFR staffing increased by 56% this year.

Why trust us?

We are experts in budgeting, staffing, financial analysis and capital equipment financing. Having lived on Vashon for a combined 94 years, we are committed to our community and our forever homes. It is our love for the island, and for those less fortunate who will suffer from this unnecessary tax increase, that drove us to join the citizen committee of Islanders for Vashon Safety.

Fact: The levy lift is not about adding first responders

Based upon the new estimated assessed values, VIFR expects to receive approximately $11 million from the levy lift, with less than 18% of the funds (the money in addition to the existing levy) used to hire four first responders, thereby adding only one additional first responder to each shift.

Fact: Staffing Burton is a management decision, not a levy challenge

With the addition of seven firefighters/EMTs this month, VIFR only needs to reassign one of the 13 firefighter/EMTs from the main station to the Burton station to create 4 two-person crews and avoid increased homeowner’s insurance. Management is declining to make the reassignment.

Fact: Waiting to pay cash for vehicles places lives and property at risk

With Washington state financing recently available at 2.55 percent, while inflation is nearly 7 percent, plus increasing supply chain issues, it makes no sense to wait to pay cash for vehicles. With part of the $1+ million in its fleet reserve as a down payment, VIFR could immediately purchase the vehicles that need replacing, with money available for future needs.

Fact: The island already is staffed to handle multiple simultaneous calls with no reduction in its service level.

Vashon currently is served by five firefighters/EMTs and two paramedics 24/7, with assistance from 3 command staff and some of the 15-17 volunteers, when needed. Adding four first responders, to fill one shift position that the levy provides, will not materially improve response times or emergency services.

Fact: The VIFR levy is permanent, with no need for a public vote to be fully funded, unlike school district and park district levies.

Since they are associated with public safety, Fire and Rescue Districts are guaranteed to collect the same taxes they received the previous year, plus 1% forever, with no renewals needed! Levy lifts are a request for even higher taxes that do not happen every six years. The levy lift request before 2017 was in 1990, not 2011.

Fact: VIFR is fully staffed with plenty of resources to address all of Vashon’s safety needs without a levy lift.

At the end of 2017, VIFR had $678,000 in the bank. Just five years later, at the end of 2022, it had ballooned to $6.7 million, with $700,000 to be added to the reserves in 2023, after hiring seven career firefighters/EMTs. At the end of 2022, VIFR had 13 career firefighters/EMTs. Now there are 20 career firefighters/EMTs, including two first responders beginning training next month.

Even though tax-assessed values will decrease next year, VIFR will receive $50,000 more levy dollars than it did when it was able to budget a $700,000 contribution to its reserves. The 1630 calls in 2022 were only 2% higher than the most recent 8-year average, while EMS calls actually were down by 14% during the last four years, when compared to the previous four years.

Hilary Emmer is a long-time social services advocate and current Board President of the Vashon Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness. Scott Harvey is a 40-plus-year, nationally recognized, retired small business lender who has financed many Vashon businesses. Dr. Steve Nourse was responsible for managing the Master Teacher Program at Central Washington University before retiring.

For more information from the committee opposing the levy lift, go to vashonsafety.org.