If Port Townsend is annexed into Jefferson County Fire District 1 – more commonly known as East Jefferson Fire Rescue – property taxes for a $300,000 city home would go up by at least $60. The annexation into the fire district would apply only to firefighting and emergency medical services. The possible increase in property taxes for city residents was one of several topics discussed at the second town hall meeting about the fire annexation process, on March 29. Voters in both the city and in the fire district are to vote on annexation later this year. There would be no increase in property taxes for those living outside city limits. City Manager David Timmons said East Jefferson Fire Rescue (EJFR) currently provides fire and EMS services to the city via a 2007 interlocal agreement, but “interlocal agreements are not really something that’s intended for the long-term sustainability as a permanent solution … it’s really seen as a step toward annexation.”