The city is exploring making its fire department an independent taxing authority, which would largely split it off from the city’s ailing budget.
Mayor Cassie Franklin has contacted neighboring jurisdictions about partnering with Everett Fire to create a regional fire authority (RFA), which would levy and collect property taxes for fire and emergency medical services.
Fire Chief Dave DeMarco will address the Mukilteo City Council on June 29 to discuss this idea.
A committee of Franklin and Everett City Council members Brenda Stonecipher and Scott Bader has met once so far to discuss fire service options, and is slated to meet again in July.
“We envision a three-year timeline to form an RFA,” Franklin told the council at a Feb. 26 briefing. “We assumed it’s complex, and that it would take some time.”
State law gives Everett two options regarding an RFA.