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What community leaders say about the RFA:
Nathaniel Jones, former Olympia City Councilmember
"Supporting our local fire departments is an easy decision, but supporting Prop. 1 is simply wrong. Prop. 1 creates a big jump in local taxes with no tangible benefits. It provides no new firefighters, no new fire stations, and no new fire trucks, instead it only creates new taxes for all of us. It makes sense to approve taxes when there are real benefits, but Prop. 1 only promises more costs for the same thing. Prop. 1 would create a whole new layer of government and replace the fire departments that serve us so well. Let’s address the needs in our community through responsible and fair programs that deliver real results. Vote No on Prop. 1."
Bob Jacobs, former Olympia Mayor:
1. The proposal includes large increases in costs to taxpayers and large increases in personnel and salary levels.
2. The proposal includes a large new fee that is just like a property tax but is regressive, that is, it charges smaller properties at a higher rate than larger ones. This is unconscionable.
3. The proposal establishes a new level of government. This is completely unnecessary and further fragments local government, making it harder for citizens to keep track of what their elected officials are doing.
Margaret McPhee, former Olympia City Councilmember
I watched unsatisfactorily what happened with other mergers around the county. The new fire department ended up top heavy with captains and other high paying positions. The idea of mergers is to save money and provide better service. Each voter should ask exactly how that will happen.
Pat Cole, former Olympia City Councilmember:
The conclusion I have come to is that the documents and detailed financial plan show an expansion of management staffing levels, increases in wages for existing staff, no improvements in response time, no new equipment, and no new firefighters. So there will be more revenue to the new district, but no assured increase in services. By definition, this means less efficiency.
Jim Lazar, former Thurston PUD Commissioner:
"This proposal may be good for the fire agency employees, but it is not good for the public. We will pay more, but we will not get more. There will be less accountability. The financing plan is dependent on a poorly designed fire benefit charge that charges people in apartments far more than it charges people in houses. And in an earthquake, flood, or other non-fire emergency, the Cities will be on their own to respond -- but will have lost the people and equipment they need. I prefer to have a local fire department that is a part of my city government."
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