Levy Lid Lift Information

On the November 5, 2025, ballot, Whatcom County Fire Protection District #18 (hereinafter referred to as “District #18”) will be requesting to lift the cap on the existing property tax levy rate. This “lid lift” will change the levy rate from $0.66 per thousand in 2025 to $1.10 per thousand of assessed property value starting in 2026, a $0.44 increase. Inflation has diminished our ability to fund capital projects and grant funds are increasingly harder to acquire. We have adjusted our Capital Improvement Plan to stretch apparatus and equipment dollars as far as we can without compromising safety and service. However, even with these adjustments we are quickly approaching the inability to maintain that plan.  

• In 2020 our levy rate was $1.00/thousand; in 2025 it is down to $0.66/thousand. 

• We are a majority on-call department with zero full-time staffing.  

• We currently staff only one part-time Duty Chief, with volunteers supplementing using “on-call” shifts. 

What is a Levy?

A levy is a voter-approved property tax that helps fund essential emergency services, in this case provided by District #18. It pays for fire protection, EMS response, rescue services, and more. 

• The levy rate is based on $1,000 of a property’s assessed value 

• Voters have already approved a maximum rate of $1.00/thousand assessed value 

Why has the levy rate decreased?

Even though voters approved a $1.00 rate in 2020, state law (RCW 84.55) limits how much total revenue District #18 can collect each year to a 1% increase unless voters approve more. 

As property values increase, the levy rate automatically decreases to stay within that 1% cap. This is known as levy degradation. 

The 1% levy limit law does not keep up with inflation. Each year we review and adjust our Capital Improvement Plan. For the past several years, due to inflation diminishing our ability to save for major projects, we have been forced to postpone how and when we will fund replacing equipment. When inflation averages 1.5%, the 1% lid limit can come close to keeping up through high and low years. However, when inflation averages 5.7% over a three-year period the 1% lid limit cannot sustain fire department operations, which is where a voter-approved lid lift comes in. 

Annual Inflation 2015-2024 - Source US Bureau of Labor Statistics 

2015 - 2020 annual inflation averaged just under 1.5%, ranging from 0.1% to 2.4%.  

2021 4.7% 

2022 8.0% 

2023 4.5% 

2024 2.92%. 

• Current Fire Levy Rate: $0.66/thousand assessed value 

• Loss in Funding: District 18 is collecting 34% less per dollar of property value than what voters originally approved in 2020. 

Historical Fire District #18 Levy Rates/thousand assessed value  

2015 1.00  2016 1.00 2017 0.96 2018 0.85

2019 0.77  2020 0.74  2021 1.00 2022 0.79 

2023 0.65  2024 0.58  2025 0.66 

What is a Levy Lid Lift?

A levy lid lift is a ballot measure that asks voters to restore the fire levy to the original amount they approved - in this case, back to $1.00/thousand A/V and allow for inflation protection of $0.10/thousand. 

This is not a new tax. It’s a restoration of the funding needed to maintain and enhance service levels.  

• District #18 currently funds all daily operations through regular operating levies. The fire levy is the primary funding source for fire and emergency services provided in District #18. This means that the fire levy pays for staffing, equipment, and operating expenses to provide emergency response, fire prevention, and other essential services to the citizens in our District. District #18 has seen significant increases in service demands with more than a 60% increase in the last 10 years. The increase in service demands, together with the increase in operating expenses, is why we are asking our voters to consider this Fire Levy Lid Lift. 

• Demand for emergency services in our District increases steadily every year. Additional staffing and operational funding are needed to be able to meet those demands at the level we currently supply. 

Does District #18 receive money from the state or county?

District #18 is separate from Whatcom County or State of Washington budgets and receives only limited funding through the county EMS levy. The fire levy is the primary funding source for fire and emergency services provided within District #18. 

What is District #18 doing to make tax dollars stretch further?

District #18 has strong management and financial practices, passing all State of Washington financial and accountability audits. District #18 is always seeking grant opportunities to supplement daily operations and continues to explore and apply for grant opportunities. We will continue applying for SAFER, AFG, DNR, and CARES grants, although funding for those programs has significantly decreased in recent years. District #18 has also made the difficult decision last year to reduce staffing to only a part-time fire chief to further stretch the dollars of the department. We also sold our small engine and replaced it with a portable fire pump mounted in our utility pickup truck. 

Why does WCFD#18 need a Levy Lid Lift?

WCFD #18 works hard to meet the needs of the community we serve.  The part-time fire chief and 22 volunteers protect 67 square miles of South Whatcom County, including Glenhaven, South Bay, and South Lake Whatcom. The community is growing- and so are emergency calls, costs for staffing, facilities, apparatus, supplies, and equipment.  

If the levy lid lift is not approved, the degraded levy rate will limit the WCFD #18’s ability to 

• Maintain appropriate response times due to staffing challenges. 

• Maintain and replace aging fire stations. 

• Replace aging fire trucks, ambulances, gear, and equipment. 

• Continue providing quality service as the community grows. 

The Rising Costs of Fire Apparatus and Equipment 

• Emergency response equipment is essential- and increasingly expensive. 

• These are not one-time purchases- they must be replaced on a regular schedule to ensure firefighter safety and reliable emergency service response. 

For example: 

• A fire engine that cost around $440k nearly a decade ago now costs $1.15M or more. 

• Ambulances, medical supplies, protective gear, and tools like extrication equipment have also seen double-digit price increases due to supply chain challenges and inflation. 

Why now?

The timing is based on several critical factors in our needs and projected needs, as well as the financial climate.  

Logistical Factors:  

• Increased demand for service.  

• Age and conditions of some of the existing facilities.  

• Staffing needs due to declining volunteer support. Over the past two years, over 15% of our 911 calls had to be covered by neighboring departments, leading to extended response times. 

• Aging fleet of apparatus – recommended lifespan per NFPA is 15 years 

• Water tender – 36 years old 

• Primary engine – 23 years old  

• Brush truck – 19 years old 

• Rescue boat – 15 years old 

• Aid unit – 13 years old 

• Command vehicle – 11 years old 

Financial Factors:  

• The District will have a stable funding source. 

• Improving/increasing the facilities and equipment helps maintain or improve the District’s current insurance rating.  

When was the last Levy Lid Lift?

The last levy lid lift was in 2020.  At that time the levy rate had fallen to $0.74 per thousand assessed property value.  The voters-approved a Levy increase to $1.00 per thousand.  This was to maintain stations and equipment as well as volunteer training and response.   

How much is District #18 asking for?

The current levy is $0.66 per thousand assessed property value. District #18 is putting forth to the voters a restoration to $1.00 per thousand with an increase of $0.10 per thousand assessed value to the levy on the November 5th general election ballot.  This would set the levy at a rate of $1.10 per thousand and would allow us to go longer between levy increases. 

2026 Levy Lid Lift increased cost for homeowners 

$300,000 home       =        $132 a year/$11.00 per month 

$400,000 home       =        $176 a year/$14.67 per month 

$500,000 home       =        $220 a year/$18.33 per month 

District #18 is dedicated to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars and has proposed a levy amount well under the maximum lawful amount of $1.50 per thousand. This is based on the need to fund fire protection services and taking into consideration the needs of our residents who face the same inflation factors as District #18. 

If it passes, what is the revenue from the Levy Lid Lift going to be used for?

The highest priority for a successful levy lid lift for District #18 is to ensure the long-term stability of District #18’s operations.  Our goals include: 

• Fully fund a Capital Purchase program for the replacement of our vehicles, equipment, and fire station master planning to ensure firefighters and EMTs have safe, effective tools to respond quickly. 

• Be able to staff a Duty Officer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  

• Be able to fund and hire part-time FF/EMTs to supplement our volunteer responders. 

• Ensure sustainable funding for District #18’s EMS program. 

• Recruit new and retain our current volunteer firefighters and EMTs.  

• Restore the Fire Chief Position to full-time.  This position was vacated in early 2024 when the Fire Chief retired.  Budget constraints forced the decision to refill this position at part-time until additional revenue can be secured. 

What can I do to help?

First and foremost, vote YES On November 5^th. Please share this page with your neighbors. Additionally, our department is staffed entirely by members of the Glenhaven and South Bay community. If you’re interested in volunteering in either fire protection or emergency medical, contact the chief at firechief@wcfd18.org or just stop by the station at 431 Cain Lk Rd Tuesdays at 7pm. We always welcome members of the community to get to know us and watch us train!