HomeMy WebLinkAbout2028RESOLUTION NO. 2O2A
A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the
city of Kent, Washington, expressing support for
Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority ('PSRFA")
Proposition 1 which will appear on the August 3,
2O2L ballot, wherein voters will be asked to
approve a permanent fire benefit charge to fund
emergency medical and fire protection services'
RECITALS
A, The PSRFA adopted Resolution L75 on May 5, 202L'
Resolution 175 calls for the placement of a ballot measure on the August
3, ZOZL, ballot which will ask voters to establish a permanent fire benefit
charge. The ballot measure is referred to as Proposition 1'
B. The PSRFA is authorized by the Puget sound Regional Fire
Authority Plan and chapter 52.26 RCW to establish, impose and collect a
benefit charge on personal property and improvements to real property
located within the PSRFA.
C. The voters of the PSRFA previously authorized the PSRFA to
impose and collect a benefit charge for six years in 2010 and the voters
reauthorized the benefit charge for an additional six years in 2016.
D. The PSRFA governing board has determined that the benefit
charge, established in conjunction with a lower level of property taxes,
provides the most stable, reliable and cost-effective method for financing
the services the PSRFA provides to its citizens.
L Resolution in Support of Puget Sound
Regional Fire Authority Proposition 7
E. The benefit charge will be reasonably proportioned to the
measurable benefits to property resulting from the services provided by
the PSRFA and shall not exceed 600/o of the operating budget of the
PSRFA.
F. The legislature has now authorized fire authorities to request
voter approval of a permanent benefit charge and the PSRFA governing
board has determined that a permanent benefit charge better serves the
citizens of the PSRFA by providing for long term revenue stability and
reduces future administrative and election costs associated with shorter
term benefit charge authorizations.
G. In accordance with Rcw 42.L7A.555, city councils are
authorized to vote on a resolution to support or oppose a ballot measure
so long as the action is taken at a public meeting, the notice of the
meeting includes the title and number of the ballot proposition, and
councilmembers and meeting attendees are afforded an equal opportunity
to express an opposing view.
H. It is appropriate for the council to support Proposition 1as
submitted by the PSRFA, and therefore, the council urges voters to vote
"Yes" on Proposition 1.
NOW THEREFORE, THE CIry COUNCIL OF THE CIry OF KENT,
WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
RESOLUTION
SECTION 7, - Support for Proposition 7, The Kent City Council
endorses PSRFA Proposition 1 which will be submitted to the voters on the
2 Resolution in Support of Puget Sound
Regional Fire Authority Proposition 7
August 3, 2O2L, ballot, and urges Kent voters to vote "Yes" on the
measure. The Proposition 1 ballot title and ballot statement are as follows:
Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority
Proposition No. 1
The Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority "Puget Sound Fire"
is responsible for providing fire protection and emergency
medical services in your community. For the last twelve
years, the Puget Sound Fire has funded these services
primarily through a combination of property taxes and voter
approved benefit charges.
Under state law, voters must renew the use of Puget Sound
Fire's current benefit charge in 2OZt. A benefit charge is not
a property tax. The benefit charge is a user fee designed to
allocate the cost of the services provided by Puget Sound
Fire in reasonable proportion to the measurable benefit a
property receives. The benefit charge is based on an industry
accepted formula that takes into consideration fire flows, the
square footage of structures, the type of structures and
various risk factors.
The Puget Sound Fire Governance Board has determined that
permanently establishing the benefit charge will provides a
long-term, stable, reliable and cost effective method for
financing the operations of Puget Sound Fire and for
maintaining satisfactory levels of service.
Under state law, regional fire authorities which collect benefit
charges have reduced taxing authority' Benefit charges can
constitute no more than 60 percent of a fire authority's
annual operating budget and the fire authority's maximum
property tax rate is reduced from $1.50 to $1.00 per $1,000
of assessed valuation.
If approved, Proposition 1 would permanently continue the
current funding methods utilized by the Puget Sound Fire to
provide emergency medical and fire protection services.
SECTION 2 . - Savinqs, If any section, subsection, paragraph,
sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution is declared unconstitutional
3 Resolution in Support of Puget Sound
Regional Fire Authority Proposition 7
or invalid for any reason, such decision shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this resolution.
SECTION 3, - Corrections bY City Clerk Upon approval of the
City Attorney, the City Clerk is authorized to make necessary corrections
to this resolution, including the correction of clerical errors; references to
other local, state or federal laws, codes, rules, or regulations; or
resolution numbering and section/subsection numbering'
SECTION 4. - Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect
immediately upon passage.
DANA RALPH, MAYOR
July 6,2O2L
Date Approved
ATTEST:
KIMBERLEY KOMOTO, CITY RK
Julv 6,2O2L
Date Adopted
APP AS
U P ATTORNEY
4 Resolution in Support of Puget Sound
Regional Fire Authority Proposition 7