Northern Lakes Fire District levy deserves support

The Northern Lakes Fire District's proposed two-year levy deserves support on Nov. 3. 

Here are the basics, per the district's website:

Proposed Temporary Levy: $4.5 million annually, replacing the existing $3.5 million annual temporary levy. 

Current Temporary Levy Rate: $28.98 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value. 

Proposed Temporary Levy Rate: $35.88 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value. 

Proposed Increase: $6.90 annually per $100,000 of taxable assessed value. 

Duration: Two-year temporary override, Oct. 1, 2027, through Sept. 30, 2029. 

We don't lightly recommend support of a property tax hike. In fact, we believe every proposed property tax hike should be scrutinized. As we've said before, raising property taxes has become the standard solution for balancing budgets, rather than cutting spending. As a result, many property owners are feeling the financial squeeze in these economic times due to inflation and continued high housing costs. They don't have extra money sitting in a bank account. They must be disciplined with their funds and fully expect the NLFD to do the same. 

We believe it does. 

Here are some reasons why this levy is deserving of your yes vote, as reported by The Press in August:

• Emergency calls have increased dramatically, rising 40% since 2019, with the district expecting nearly 7,000 responses this year. 

• Population growth is straining current resources. Northern Lakes is one of Kootenai County's fastest-growing fire districts, with Rathdrum up more than 43% since 2020. 

• The new Garwood station needs staffing. A fourth station is scheduled to open in 2027, but its staffing could be jeopardized if the levy fails. 

• The levy helps prevent staffing cuts. Without voter approval, the district says it could lose 21 firefighter positions and reduce from three staffed stations to two. 

• A growing district requires additional coverage. About 30% of Kootenai County's growth is occurring within the fire district's boundaries. 

Most importantly, the district has demonstrated fiscal responsibility. Firefighters, the union, and district leadership agreed to forgo pay raises this year to focus resources on operational needs, as The Press reported last month. That shows leadership that pays attention to the communities they serve.

We could go on, but we think it's clear this two-year levy is a sound investment. We hope you do, as well.

Much is at stake. 

As our communities continue to grow, emergency services must keep pace. This levy helps preserve firefighter staffing, maintain response times, open a new station in a rapidly developing area, and ensure residents receive the level of protection they expect when they call 911.