MONROE—The Board of Fire Commissioners for Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue (SRFR) has approved a resolution to place a funding measure on the August 4, 2026, ballot.
This levy lid lift would restore the property tax rate to $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value, previously approved by the community in 2017. Funding will be used to continue to provide emergency medical services (EMS).
SRFR does not receive funding from the county or local cities to provide emergency medical services, including ambulances, equipment, or staff training. Fire districts around the state rely on local, voter-approved funding for operations.
Due to growth in the area and changes in property values, the tax rate for the EMS levy has declined to $0.26 per $1,000. This proposition would restore the rate to $0.50 and allow for more flexibility to ensure funding keeps pace with inflation over its six-year duration. While the annual rate may fluctuate according to the tax base, collection is legally capped at $0.50.
“We are committed to maintaining our level of services and response times to all residents in our community” Fire Chief Brian Park said. “As access to health care has become more unpredictable, community members look to our emergency medical personnel more than ever. We want to ensure every person who calls for our services has access to a trained staff person, reliable emergency transportation, and the proper medical equipment to meet their needs.”
EMS services include paramedic advanced life support, emergency medical technician (EMT) basic life support, ambulance transport, and related emergency medical response programs. These services provide critical, time-sensitive care for medical emergencies such as cardiac events, trauma, and respiratory distress.
Approval of this proposition would allow Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue to maintain current levels of EMS service, address increasing demand, and continue to provide timely emergency medical care throughout the community.
Over the coming weeks, SRFR staff will host informational meetings to share details and answer questions.
Source: Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
