Elections, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Washington County

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue general obligation bond measure on track to pass

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.

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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.

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