By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Three days after the primary election and after the counting today of further ballots that arrived in the mail, Riverside Fire Authority Chief Mike Kytta said he thinks now he can say the levy has passed.
The fire department that protects Centralia and its surrounding area asked citizens to consider a new maintenance and operations levy, to supplement a steeply declining budget.
Just over 65 percent of voters said yes, according to a second tally conducted today by election officials.
The estimated levy rate is 49 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value and will be used for fire protection and rescue services, facilities, maintenance, staffing and operations.
“Our entire organization of course is very, very thankful to the voters,” Kytta said this afternoon.
The primary reason for the reduction is related to the fairly sudden change in taxes contributed by TransAlta’s power plant, as it winds down coal burning operations.
The department has already seen a nearly 30 percent loss in response forces this year, according to the chief. Passing the levy won’t bring those employees back, he said.
“It won’t return things to pre-2014 level, but hopefully we’re stabilized,” Kytta said.
Mainly, they were trying to get ahead of predicted losses of revenue next year, where uncertainty still remains, Kytta said.
Tuesday’s primary election has seen a turnout of just shy of 34 percent. It won’t be certified until Aug. 19.
Most of the ballots that will count have been counted, according to Lewis County Election Supervisor Mariann Zumbuhl.
Riverside needed a 60 percent super majority for its measure.
Voters south of Ashford in the region around what is known as the Big Creek area or Paradise Estates appear to have passed a fire department levy as well.
In Lewis County Fire District 17 Big Creek-Mineral, 41 of the 52 individuals who cast ballots said yes to replace an expiring EMS levy.
That’s nearly 79 percent and they only needed 50 percent plus one vote, according to Zumbuhl.
Many other items were on the ballot, but won’t be decided until the November general election, such as the contested race for Lewis County sheriff.
Sheriff Steve Mansfield announced in February he would retire at the end of this year.
Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Rob Snaza secured nearly 78 percent of the votes.
Brian Green, a former member of the U.S. Navy who performs in and manages a local band of musicians, took almost 22 percent of the votes.
Snaza is listed on the ballot as preferring the Republican Party, Green prefers the Independent Party.
Also among those on the ballot, but running without challengers were Jonathan Meyer looking or a second term as county prosecutor, Warren McLeod aiming for a second term as county coroner, and Kathy Brack heading for a fourth term as county clerk.
Click here to see the rest of the races.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
You know the kicker is there are millions of dollars sitting out there in tax revenue that will never see a public school, fire department or paved road. It’s called Timber Lands Tax Rates.
Now that Weyerhaeuser and others are making more money by selling recreational rights to the highest bidders here in Lewis County, it’s time to go back and reassess who gets a tax break for timber lands and who should be taxed like any other recreational property.
Other States have multi tax rates based on public access that serve them just fine, but not Washington or Lewis County. Nobody here wants to dare risk offending the mighty Weyerhaeuser pocket book come election time.
Lewis County Citizens keep having to over tax themselves to get a reasonable 911 response while the Timber Companies get even richer off their subsidized rates.
I’ll chip in cash to any candidate who remembers the thousands of Citizen Voters to be represented are more important than one or even a few rich Timber Giants.
Congratulations to the Riverside Fire Department for the passage of their levy. These guys deserve every penny that they are asking for. If there is one tax that should be voted yes on this is it. Remember that when they come to your house or property they are helping you. So did you vote yes or no. If you voted yes then you are thankful for them getting there and helping you. If you voted no I guess you don’t care if you get any help. I voted yes and glad I did. Good work guys glad to have you on Centralia’s team.