The City of Mill Creek is asking voters to consider annexing to
South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue Regional Fire Authority (South County Fire) during the April 26, 2022, Special Election.
The City is unable to renew its current emergency services contract from a different provider without a substantial cost increase. City officials researched all possible options and concluded that South County Fire is the lowest cost provider for the same quality and level of service.
If annexation is approved, South County Fire will operate from the Mill Creek Fire Station 24 hours a day with the same number of firefighters and apparatus as are there currently. What would change is how you pay for emergency services.
Instead of paying taxes to the City for a fire service contract, property owners would pay South County Fire directly. South County Fire is funded with a fire levy and emergency medical services (EMS) levy plus a fire benefit charge. In 2022, a 2,000 square foot home valued at $602,000 (the average in Mill Creek) would have paid $882.73 for emergency services from South County Fire. This is based on the 2022 combined tax rate for South County Fire of $1.35/$1,000 assessed value, plus a $70.03 fire benefit charge.
A fire benefit charge replaces some property taxes in funding emergency services. It is not a tax; it is a fee based on the size and use of a structure and the resources required to fight a fire. Single-family homes pay less than commercial developments because it costs less to defend a house in a fire compared to a warehouse.
If annexation is approved, in 2023 the City will stop collecting $4.3 million in taxes paid to the City for the current fire/EMS contract. This means the City will reduce its general property tax levy in 2023 by $2.6 million and remove the City EMS levy of $1.7 million.
The net result is that the average homeowner would pay an additional $379.26 a year ($31.61 a month) for emergency services if annexation were in place in 2022.
If annexation is
not approved by voters, the City will have to cut services significantly or find new revenues to pay for contract fire/EMS services. Revenue options include asking voters to increase the EMS levy and the City’s general property tax levy and having the City Council pass a new utility tax.
We will continue to provide updates as information is available. Thank you for considering our request.