Des Moines Police and Public Safety Prop 1 no longer a Property Tax increase

Des Moines Police and Public Safety Prop 1 No Longer a Property Tax Increase

What has changed after the August 2024 Primary Election?

In the August 2024 Primary Election, the City of Des Moines placed a measure on the ballot to add 50 cents to the current levy rate, which would have resulted in a 50-cent increase of the annual assessed value (AAV) to be collected to fund Police and Public Safety services. (This Measure Failed)

South King Fire (Your Fire Department), during the August 2024 Primary Election, placed the Fire Benefit Charge (FBC) measure on the ballot. (This Measure Passed)

The FBC is a system designed with fairness in mind. It distributes costs equitably by placing more responsibility on structures with higher fire risk and resource needs. Smaller structures, such as single-family homes, generally pay less than larger buildings, like commercial ones.

If a fire protection district charges a benefit fee, it must reduce its property tax collection as required by  R.C.W. 52.18.065. Starting in January 2025, the FBC will contribute funding to our Fire Department, resulting in the following changes to South King Fire’s property tax collections: 

1. A 50-cent reduction of the Regular Levy rate will result in property tax savings for Des Moines citizens.  
2. South King Fire’s 23-cent Maintenance and Operations Excess Levy will no longer be collected, creating additional savings for Des Moines citizens.

South King Fire is a large fire district (approximately 41 square miles) that provides fire and life safety services to the Cities of Des Moines (approximately 6.5 square miles), Federal Way, West Hill of  Auburn, the communities of Lakeland North and South, including areas of unincorporated King County. The Voter-approved FBC fees collected outside the City of Des Moines provide an economy of scale that benefits Des Moines citizens.

The passage of South King Fire’s FBC has created a Unique Opportunity for Des Moines Citizens.

Starting in January 2025, South King Fire will reduce its regular property tax from $1.50 to $1.00 for every $1,000 of annual assessed value. 

Des Moines Voters now have the Unique Opportunity in this upcoming November 5th, 2024, General Election to take advantage of the 50-cent Reduction of the fire district’s Regular Levy rate that each of us has historically paid for public safety services for as long as we have been property owners in Des Moines, or any other areas of King County served by a fire district. Prop 1 is no longer an additional increase in property tax. Yes, your local Des Moines property tax levy of 89 cents will increase by 50 cents. However, your overall tax rate relative to these 50 cents is now cost-neutral due to South King Fire’s 50-cent Reduction of the Regular Property Tax created by the voter-approved Fire Benefit Charge.

Supporting Prop1 safeguards our tax money previously used for public safety by returning it to our local Des Moines Public Safety Needs. 

Respectfully,
Vic Pennington
Fire Chief-Retired – South King Fire
Former Deputy Mayor – City of Des Moines

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