Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue responded to a field and tractor fire on August 8, 2017 outside of Roy on Harrington Road. Photo: Chas Hundley
Early results from Tuesday night’s election showed that voters in Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue’s sprawling service territory overwhelmingly supported a measure allowing $122 million in general obligation bonds to raise funds for a number of public safety projects.
According to the first batch of results released by the Oregon Secretary of State, which are considered unofficial until they have been certified, 74.43% were in favor of measure 34-308, compared to 25.57% who voted no.
“Due to declining debt on existing bonds, the proposed measure would maintain the current rate of $0.1415 per $1,000 of assessed value unless assessed property values decline,” TVF&R said in a press release issued prior to the election.
The fire agency noted that the current total tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value for landowners in the TVF&R service territory is $2.1167, spread across an existing permanent rate of $1.5252, local option levy of $0.45, and a $0.1415 general obligation bond.
TVF&R said that it would use funds from the bond for the following:
-Replace response vehicles as they reach the end of their useable life, including fire engines, trucks, and medical vehicles used throughout the District.
-Fund fire station projects including seismic upgrades, security features, expansions, or living quarter modifications at 10 of 29 stations.
-Rebuild the King City fire station at the existing location.
-Relocate the Aloha fire station to a more central location for local and regional response.
-Fund safety upgrades for TVF&R’s training center where responders practice fire suppression, emergency medical care, technical rescue, hazardous material response, and other emergency skills.
-Purchase land for future fire stations in areas where growth is expected to occur.
View more election results on the Oregon Secretary of State website.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
