Save Our Fire Departments - Annexation =

Olympia Annexation + RFA = Higher FBC

Olympia's desire to annex 7,950 new people into Olympia (a 14% increase) in the SE area is entangled with the RFA vote.

First, the county area to be annexed votes more conservatively than the city of Olympia. Annexing them before the RFA vote means it would be tougher to get the 60% majority needed to create the RFA.

And an annexation without the RFA means the city would be on the hook for $71.3 million more costs than the revenues it would get from the annexation's property and other taxes.

But with an RFA, according to the City's annexation consultants, the city comes out ahead by $10.8 million. That is a $82.1 million swing over 20 years that depends on a favorable RFA vote.

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The outcome of vote on the annexation is not in doubt -- the city holds enough votes through the past assignment of voting rights for annexation.

What is in doubt is whether the City can get enough voters to approve the RFA and that would be harder to do if the annexed area got a chance to vote on it -- the city just controls the votes on annexation.

Without the RFA, Olympia can't offload their financial responsibility for fire services and the need for a new fire station to the RFA for the annexed area.

So who will pick up the cost? The people, of course. It will drive the Fire Benefit Charge much higher than the $10.5 million that the property owners in Olympia and Tumwater public has been led to believe.

The Annexation/RFA Playbook

First, tell the public that the RFA will provide better service.

Second, don't include the cost of a new fire station and staff in the funding plan that the RFA Committee knows and Councilmember Cooper and Parshley talk about in the video links. And try not to talk much about it because it drives the FBC higher.

Third, get Olympia and Tumwater to vote for the RFA.

Fourth, the Olympia Council votes its proxies and annexes the SE area.

Finally, the RFA calculates the effect of the annexation and declares a need for a huge increase in the FBC for the new station and its staffing.

Even if the City of Olympia wins, the people lose...if we vote Yes on the RFA.

Watch the efforts to obscure from the presentation materials consideration the annexation and RFA issue