Eureka Fire Protection District residents will be asked on April 8 to vote on a tax increase of 34 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
Chief Scott Barthelmass said the district would use revenue if the ballot issue is approved to increase salaries, which would help recruit and retain firefighters; purchase new equipment; fund building repairs; and strengthen the district’s financial stability.
The ballot measure, called Proposition F, needs a simple majority for passage.
The official ballot language reads: “Shall the board of directors of the Eureka Fire Protection District be authorized to levy an additional tax of not more than 34 cents on the one hundred dollars assessed valuation to provide funds for the support of the district?”
The district’s current tax levy is $1.209 per $100 of assessed valuation. If the proposition passes, the levy will increase by 34 cents to $1.549.
If the proposition passes, the owner of a house valued at $200,000 by the Assessor’s Office would pay approximately an additional $129.20 per year, for a total of $588.62 per year in property taxes to the district. Currently, the owner pays about $459.42 per year.
The owner of a house valued at $450,000 by the Assessor’s Office will pay approximately an additional $290.70, for a total of $1,324.40 per year in property taxes to the district. Currently, the owner pays about $1,033.70 per year.
If Prop F passes, Eureka Fire is projected to receive about $2.4 million in additional revenue in 2026, according to a report provided by Barthelmass. In 2027, the district would receive approximately $2.5 million.
“It’s a well-thought-out plan that allows us to continue to provide the high level of service that our community expects of us,” Barthelmass said. “I think people in the community know, trust and rely on Eureka Fire to provide them with the best services possible. I think we do an incredible job of protecting our community, and we want to keep that service high.”
If the tax increase passes, the district will hire four additional firefighter paramedics to work at House 2, 1815 West Fifth St., in Eureka. At times, Barthelmass said the engine at House 2 is staffed by two people when the minimum should be three.
Additionally, the emergency call volume increased by 9.9 percent last year, he said, raising concerns that the district population is growing faster than Eureka Fire can provide equipment and staff to cover its approximate 63 square miles in Eureka, Hoene Springs and portions of Wildwood and Pacific.
Barthelmass said the district will need to pay for future capital improvement projects.
He said the House 1 roof will likely need to be replaced for about $100,000 in 2026. The station, 4849 Hwy. 109, in Eureka holds the district’s administrative offices and board meetings twice a month.
Barthelmass said the district will likely need to buy a new inflatable rescue boat for House 3, 3570 Riverbend Road, in Hoene Springs for approximately $35,000, purchase about $412,000 worth of new gear, buy a new staff vehicle for approximately $80,000 and spend about $100,000 for new door locks and cameras.
In 2027, the district plans to replace power loads and stretchers for approximately $140,000, purchase two new brush trucks for a total of about $200,000 and a new duty vehicle for approximately $100,000.
In 2028, the district will replace paramedic monitors and LUCAS devices, which administer chest compressions to cardiac arrest patients when transported to a hospital, for approximately $222,000. The district also plans to purchase a staff vehicle for about $80,000.
“Running a fire department is expensive because the equipment that’s necessary to operate a department, it’s lifesaving equipment, and can’t fail,” Barthelmass said.
