The city of Airway Heights is planning to reintroduce the emergency medical services (EMS) levy in the Nov. 3 general election.
In 2014, the city proposed a six-year levy that would have increased property taxes 25 cents per $1,000 assessed value, raising about $114,000 that would have gone toward paying for increased EMS services, as well as new equipment and personnel. The levy failed to reach the supermajority vote by 2-percent (57.13-42.87). In 2001, Airway Heights proposed a six-year EMS levy on property owners that would cost 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. That ballot measure also failed.
Fire Chief Mitch Metzger said this year’s proposed levy is the same amount as the one last year.
“Our needs didn’t change,” Metzger said. “Over 80 percent of the calls we run are medical calls. The levy will help pay for equipment and personnel.”
Since the November election, staff and City Council created and adopted a list of goals for 2015-16, one of those being the enhancement of public safety services in Airway Heights. Metzger said the levy is one avenue that will pay for those types of services. He added that the city decided to wait to reintroduce the levy until after the February and April special elections.
“With those elections you had the different taxes and bonds,” Metzger said. “We thought it was a better idea to wait until November to reintroduce the levy.”
City Administrator Albert Tripp said one reason the levy failed was because the city did not provide enough education to residents on the needs of the Fire Department. Metzger said he and his crew plan to attend local town hall meetings to provide education on the levy, as well as answer questions from residents.
“Some of the City Council have offered to host town hall meetings at their house and have us come talk to residents there,” Metzger said.
Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.
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