West Thurston Regional Fire Authority Budget and Funding

General Fund

In August 2009 voters of Thurston County Fire District 1 (Grand Mound / Rochester) and Fire District 11 (Littlerock) authorized the formation of West Thurston Regional Fire Authority (WTRFA) beginning January 1st, 2010. In 2010 the fire districts will levy a property tax (ad valorem tax) of one-dollar and fifty cents per thousand dollars assessed value for property inside the fire districts; this is the same tax rate the districts levied in 2009. The fire districts will transfer the taxes collected to the WTRFA who will conduct all the business and service delivery.

Starting in 2011 the West Thurston Regional Fire Authority will levy property tax for the first time and the Fire District will no longer levy a tax. The bottom line is taxpayers will pay the same tax rate to the WTRFA as they would their Fire District $1.50/1000 AV.

A home owner with a home valued at $185,000.00 dollars will pay $274.50 in 2010 and the same tax rate in 2011. That’s approximately $23 dollars per month.

The General Fund revenue is utilized to deliver fire protection including structural and wildland suppression, emergency medical, rescue, prevention and public education service delivery. This fund includes firefighter and EMT wages and benefits, uniforms, personal protective equipment, facility and apparatus maintenance, fuel and energy costs and all other supplies or goods and services.

Bond Fund

Voters authorize the development and purchase of new fire stations, fire engines, water tenders and other major expenses (capital projects) by authorizing the Fire Department to issue bonds over a period of years, much like when someone finances and purchases a new home or automobile. Taxpayers are assessed a tax for these purchases. The Fire District 1 Bond rate 0.33 cents per thousand AV and the Fire District 11 Bond rate is 0.38 cents per thousand AV. Under the Regional Fire Authority the Bond tax rate will remain unchanged. Bond funds can only be used for what they were intended i.e. a new fire station; they are prohibited from being used to pay firefighter wages or many other items often funded from a General Fund.

• Rebuild Maytown Fire Station
• New Grand Mound/Rochester Fire Station
• Replace Two Fire Engines
• One New Water Tender
• Replace two wildland firefighting trucks

• Scott Lake Area Fire Station
• Storage buildings (Sargent Rd. Station)
• Mima/Gate property acquisition
• Emergency generator (Littlerock Rd.)
• Remodel (Albany Station)