The Lane Fire Authority is asking voters to approve a larger operating levy this November.
The agency provides fire and emergency services to more than miles of 280 square miles of Lane County, and ambulance services to more than 440 square miles. Most of its stations are located west of Eugene.
Now, Lane Fire chief Dale Borland said the agency is seeking financial help to maintain its services, hire two more firefighters, and build living quarters at the Spencer Creek Station southwest of Eugene.
“We don't want to be coming to the voters and asking for money," said Borland. "But in order to keep our service viable and keep us rolling and our increased cost of goods to keep doing business, our increased demand for service, we don't have a choice.”
Borland said since the agency's existing levy was approved in 2021, its call volume has jumped 20%. He said around 80% of those calls are requests for emergency medical services.
"It's just our current healthcare system. It's that access," he said. "I think we have became more of the de facto health care piece for a lot of people out in the field."
The proposed five-year levy would increase the expiring tax from 35 cents to 55 cents per $1,000 of assessed property. A person with a $400,000 home would pay an additional $80 per year.
That's the same levy rate that voters previously rejected in 2020. But Borland said he hopes the agency's track record will change people's minds.
"We've proven ourselves to be good fiscal stewards of the taxpayers money," said Borland. "We put it holistically right into emergency response."
Ballots have already been sent out for the Nov. 4 election. Voters will only be able to weigh on the levy proposal if they are in Lane Fire Authority's fire district, meaning some areas which only receive ambulance services will not be allowed to weigh in.
