Enough with the Band-Aids, despite how long they stick.
Officials with the Bainbridge Island Fire Department want to make the agency’s property tax levy for emergency medical services permanent.
Fire commissioners recently agreed, by an unanimous vote, to put before voters a permanent EMS levy. It will appear on the Feb. 12 ballot, joining a $15 million capital projects measure sought by the Bainbridge Island School District. The new permanent EMS levy will replace the department’s string of temporary levy requests.
Bainbridge voters last approved an EMS levy in 2009, and that 10-year levy expires at the end of 2019.
The 2009 request was based on a rate of 40 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.
“We’re asking for it to be renewed for 40 cents again,” said Bainbridge Island Fire Chief Hank Teran.