FD3’s levy lid lift goes to voters in August

Published 5:30 am Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Leaders with Clallam County Fire District 3 (CCFD3) turn to voters in the Aug. 5 primary election asking to restore the district’s regular tax levy to $1.50 per $1,000 assessed valuation of a home to support a majority of the district’s operational funds.

Fire Chief Justin Grider said in an interview voters approved the levy rate in 2018 and staff aren’t asking for a rate that’s more than what was already approved. He said the funds will ensure they sustain their service levels while meeting growing demands.

Last year, CCFD3 staff responded to a record 9,000-plus calls for service, including an increase of more than 500 emergency calls.

The district’s current regular levy valuation is $1.11 per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value. CCFD3 staff report that increasing the levy amount by $0.39 would cost a homeowner with a home assessed at $470,000 about $15.28 more than what they pay now per month, or about $183.36 more each year. If approved, collection would begin in 2026, and the maximum allowable levy in 2030 shall serve as the base for subsequent levy limitations, according to the Clallam County Voter’s Guide.

Staff said funds would continue to support personnel, supplies, equipment, training, facilities, and apparatus.

The fire district’s budget is about $14.5 million this year, with 71% funded through the regular levy, 23% from an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) levy, and the remainder from grants, timber tax revenues, and other revenues.

Grider said they recognize all junior taxing districts ask for support, and that’s why they’ve opted to delay asking for renewing the EMS rate now as well.

Last August, CCFD3 staff reported that a consultant recommended not doing both at the same time. Grider said it could feel like too much for voters all at once.

CCFD3 fire commissioners unanimously voted in August 2024 to go forward with the levy lid lift for the regular levy and to run an EMS levy lid lift renewal sometime in 2026. Grider said the EMS levy is now about $0.39 per $1,000 assessed value of a home, rather than its originally approved $0.50 rate.

The levy rate reduction is due to levy compression, he said, because Washington’s law caps property tax revenue growth to 1% per year and this results in gradual degradation of the levy over the years.

In recent years

Looking at the challenges since last going to voters, Grider said everyone is seeing the same “extreme growth and costs” with fuel and products’ costs going up and tariff prices even impacting costs for specific parts for apparatuses.

“The more things cost, the more has to come out of the Operation Fund,” he said.

If the levy lid lift weren’t to pass, Grider said they’d have to cut non-essential services, such as water and technical rescues.

“While there are only a few of them, they’re expensive and risky and not fire-related,” he said.

Non-essential staffing levels could be reduced along with public education, such as smoke detector installation programs.

“It’s not something we want to touch at all,” Grider said.

CCFD3 has 60 total staff, including 45 firefighters/paramedics/EMS. There are three shifts with 15 firefighters per shift.

“We’re trying to cover every call we can,” Grider said.

“The men and women of District 3 want to get out there and help the people. That’s not something you can teach. It’s an innate desire to serve.”

He said CCFD3 staff are increasing efforts to better partner with neighboring fire districts and Olympic Ambulance for calls, while increasing education through their new community paramedic position (Mark Karjalainen).

“He’s taking some 911 calls off the table,” Grider said.

“We’re in month seven of that program and we’re seeing an uptick in reduced calls in some areas but the data is still so raw.

“We’re hoping to have a year’s worth of data to see what the impact has been.”

Staff anticipate receiving three new fire trucks this summer – two in August and one in September – that have been on order (totaling about $3.4 million) since Sept. 2023.

CCFD3 put 50% down at the time of purchase and have saved to pay the remainder upon delivery. They also received grants to pay for three squad units and a brush engine.

However, Grider said costs of apparatuses, such as for an ambulance, are outpacing what fire districts can keep up with. He also said with federal grants on hold, it’s restricting future budget projections.

“This levy restoration will help (CCFD3) maintain and enhance the services our community expects and deserves,” he said. “It will allow us to invest in our personnel and resources, ensuring we are always prepared to respond quickly and effectively when needed.”

CCFD3 serves an approximate 142-square-mile area from Gardiner to Bagley Creek.

For more information about the district and its levy, visit ccfd3.org.