HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 14 Fire and Safety Special Operating Levy Renewal AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 7/6/2020
Meeting Type: Regular Meeting
Staff Contact/Dept.: Nathan Bell/Finance
Staff Phone No: (541) 726-2364
Estimated Time: 15 Minutes
S P R I N G F I E L D
C I T Y C O U N C I L
Council Goals: Provide Financially
Responsible and
Innovative Government
Services
ITEM TITLE:
FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY SPECIAL OPERATING LEVY RENEWAL
ACTION
REQUESTED:
Conduct a public hearing and adopt/not adopt the following resolution:
A RESOLUTION REFERRING TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY A BALLOT
MEASURE AUTHORIZING A FIVE-YEAR LOCAL OPTION LEVY FOR FIRE
AND LIFE SAFETY SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $0.38 PER $1,000
ASSESSED VALUE BEGINNING FISCAL YEAR 2021/22
ISSUE
STATEMENT:
The current Fire and Life Safety (FLS) Special Operating Levy passed by voters in
November of 2015 provides for the partial staffing of an engine crew at
Springfield’s Station #3 and will expire on June 30, 2021.
In a work session on May 26th, 2020, Council directed staff to prepare a resolution
and ballot title to refer to voters the FLS Special Operating Levy at the November
2020 general election, at a rate of $0.38 per $1,000 of assessed value.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 - Resolution including Exhibit A - Ballot Title
DISCUSSION/
FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
In a work session on May 26th, 2020, staff provided Council a range of funding
options for the renewal of the FLS Special Operating Levy. Staff shared with
Council that the current rate of $0.36 per thousand did not cover the full cost of
operating an engine crew at Springfield’s Station #3 and that the City’s General
Fund funded approximately one-third of the cost. Council directed staff to move
forward with the rate of $0.38 per thousand. This rate is estimated to provide the
same service level as the current levy rate, considering the effects of inflation, and
to maintain the current balance of funding from the general fund at approximately
one-third of the cost.
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CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, OREGON
RESOLUTION NO. ___________
A RESOLUTION REFERRING TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY A BALLOT MEASURE
AUTHORIZING A FIVE-YEAR LOCAL OPTION LEVY FOR FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY SERVICES
IN THE AMOUNT OF $0.38 PER $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE BEGINNING FISCAL YEAR
2021/22.
WHEREAS, ORS 280.060 authorizes the City to levy local option taxes outside the limitations imposed
under section 11(3), Article XI, Oregon Constitution, when approved by a majority of voters in a
general election in an even-numbered year;
WHEREAS, one of the goals of the Common Council of the City of Springfield is to provide financially
responsible and innovative government services;
WHEREAS, the voters of the City of Springfield previously approved a local option levy at the rate of
$0.36 per $1,000 for fire and life safety services for a period of five fiscal years beginning July 1, 2016
and expiring June 30, 2021;
WHEREAS, the current $0.36 levy funds a portion of the cost to maintain and operate one of the five
engine crews staffed with firefighter/paramedics that respond to calls for emergency medical services
and fire suppression;
WHEREAS, in a work session on May 26, 2020, the Council was presented options for renewing or
replacing the existing local option levy at varying levels of funding ranging from partial funding to full
funding, and directed staff to proceed with the rate of $0.38 per $1,000 assessed value to provide
partial funding for the fifth fire engine crew; this rate is estimated to provide the same level of service
as the current rate of $0.36 per $1,000, when considering the anticipated inflation of the City’s
operation and maintenance costs over the next five years; and
WHEREAS, the Council has determined to proceed with referring to the voters of the City of
Springfield a ballot measure to authorize a local option levy for fire and life safety services at a rate of
$0.38 per $1,000 assessed value for five years beginning with the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2021,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD:
Section 1: The Council hereby refers to the voters of the City of Springfield at the General
Election on November 3, 2020 a measure authorizing a local option levy for fire and life safety services,
at a rate of $0.38 per $1,000 of assessed value for five years beginning Fiscal Year 2021/22.
Section 2: The Council hereby adopts and certifies the Ballot Title for this measure as
attached in Exhibit A.
Section 3: The City Recorder, as the Chief Elections Officer of the City, is directed to submit
to the County Clerk for Lane County, Oregon, a statement of the ballot measure, a certified copy of this
Resolution and the Ballot Title, and all other necessary information so that this measure may appear on
the ballot for the November 3, 2020 General Election.
Attachment 1, Page 1 of 3
{00016440:1} PAGE 2 of 2
Section 4: The City Manager, the City Recorder, the City Finance Director, and the City
Attorney, and each of them individually, are hereby authorized and directed to prepare and file an
explanatory statement for this measure, and to take such other action as is necessary or appropriate to
carry out the purposes and intent of this Resolution in compliance with the applicable provisions of law.
Section 5: This Resolution will take effect immediately upon adoption by the Council and
approval by the Mayor.
ADOPTED by the Common Council of the City of Springfield this ___ day of _________, ____,
by a vote of _____ for and ____ against.
_______________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
__________________________
City Recorder
Attachment 1, Page 2 of 3
{00016385:4}
Ballot Title
CITY OF SPRINGFIELD
BALLOT MEASURE XX-XX
Caption: LOCAL OPTION LEVY FOR FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY
SERVICES
Question: Shall Springfield levy $0.38 per $1,000 of assessed value, for five
years beginning FY2021/22 for fire and life safety services? This
measure may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent.
Summary: This levy provides funding for fire and life safety services. It funds a
portion of the operating costs for one of the five engine crews staffed
with firefighter-paramedics that respond to calls for emergency
medical services and fire suppression. Operating costs supported by
this levy include personnel, safety equipment, vehicle and equipment
expenses, dispatch, and required training.
Approval of this measure would replace the current $0.36 levy that
expires on June 30, 2021 with a $0.38 levy. This rate is anticipated to
provide the same level of service as the current levy rate, considering
the effects of inflation on the City’s operating costs.
In the first year, a typical Springfield homeowner with an assessed
value (not market value) of $164,000 would pay $62.32 under this
levy. Total estimated payments for a typical homeowner over the five-
year life of this levy are $330.
By fiscal year, the levy is estimated to raise:
2021/22 - $1,926,331
2022/23 - $1,964,857
2023/24 - $2,004,154
2024/25 - $2,044,238
2025/26 - $2,085,122
Total: $10,024,702
Exhibit A, Page 1 of 1
Attachment 1, Page 3 of 3