I enjoyed the letter published on Sept. 18 from Joy Lord. I would like to expand on the history of support for our San Juan County Fire District #3. We have all heard that the Fire District came into existence in 1958 when a group of community minded citizens rolled up their sleeves to provide help to neighbors in a time of emergency. In 1963 the Fire District returned to the voters and passed its first levy based on appraised property values and formed the three-person board of fire commissioners. At that time our elected fire commissioners could set the level of funding each year based on District needs. Our fire levy changed each year until 2001 when a citizen initiative, 747, enacted a law that limited the amount a levy could only increase 1% each year thereafter. That year our fire levy was set at 70 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value. Our fire commissioners were then strapped to a levy that was unchangeable unless a vote of the Fire District constituents approved a change. This has never once occurred. From 2001 until now that 1% increase, coupled with inflation have eroded funding of the Fire District. A financial train wreck could be easily forecast.

And here we are.

This November the Fire District commissioners are putting before SJIFD3 residents, a levy request of 70 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value to balance the funding of our Fire District. Our commissioners forecast that another levy change should not be needed for at least 20 years. In the balance are crew and engine around-the-clock immediate emergency response, maintenance of aging, and purchase of new fire engines, performing necessary maintenance on each of our six island fire stations, designing and constructing training facilities, improving outer island responses, and continuing a robust volunteer emergency response roster. There is a lot more to read and think about at www.SJIFire.org/about/levy-2024.

We need to support the Fire District to provide fire fighters the training to remain safe as they respond to fire and medical emergencies and to provide them unfailing, well-maintained equipment. Let’s all do our part to guarantee the continued quick response to emergencies as well as the safety of our island fire fighters. Vote YES on Proposition 1 in November.

John Salinas,

San Juan Island