In a significant move aimed at transforming how emergency services are funded, the Board of Fire Commissioners has passed a resolution to include a fire benefit charge proposal on the August 6, 2024, primary election ballot. The Wenatchee Valley Fire Department is championing this initiative, asserting that it offers a fairer method of funding compared to the existing system.
Under the current model, funding for emergency services is solely derived from a fire levy that is based on the assessed value of properties. This setup leads to a disparity where two identically-sized houses might incur vastly different fire levies simply due to their location within the fire district. “This means two houses of the same size can pay very different amounts depending on their location within the fire district, while the cost to put out a fire at both is the same,” explained a spokesperson for the fire department.