Next week’s ballot has several interesting decisions at hand, but none more controversial than the levy lid lift for King County Fire District 38. The district covers primarily all areas in the Upper Valley not in the city limits of North Bend or Snoqualmie. Fire District 38 is governed by three commissioners, all firefighters themselves at various departments around the Eastside, that reside within the district.

The request they are asking us to approve is to increase the levy rate from 83 cents to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. The levy increase will: sustain current staffing levels at the North Bend fire station, which serves Fire District 38; staff two firefighters for a 12-hour shift at the Wilderness Rim fire station; begin funding an equipment replenishment fund; and provide for a portion of a new North Bend fire station.

I have to say, this has been one of the more difficult topics to editorialize. I have mulled the question of affordability back and forth, with many people helping shape my opinion. I can understand portions of the request but have trouble accepting that an all-inclusive levy increase is the answer. But honestly, this one is going to be tough to call.

Fire issues tend to be decided based on emotions. If a firefighter asks you to support a levy increase, they honestly, in their heart and mind, feel it is necessary to provide the best level of service.

My practical side wants to know alternatives to the huge increase in funding such as a separate bond for equipment, or a separate bond for a fire station. The reasons given by the commissioners to pursue this all at once was to avoid nickel and diming their constituents which I can understand, but an 80 percent increase in funding is difficult to support at a time when so many residents of the Upper Valley are struggling to make ends meet. I also understand that our fire commissioners will have a bias toward providing whatever their firefighters, or contracted firefighters, need to do their job. Heck, they are all firefighters themselves with various departments. I believe they also have the best intentions when asking for this levy increase, but is the increase fiscally prudent in the current climate? Only the voters can decide if their elected representation, the commissioners, are in the right in asking for this increase.

So what do other departments pay in this consortium of fire districts that comprise Eastside Fire and Rescue? Well, most pay upward of $1.35 if you include bond debt for apparatus or stations. The combined amount paid to Eastside Fire and Rescue for North Bend and Fire District 38 is upward of $1.5 million based on the current assessed valuation.

What are the potential downfalls if a levy is not passed? The commissioners made it clear that staffing levels may be cut and there will be a need to come back to the voters to provide additional equipment or fund a new station.

But what about our district itself, has it changed? The answer is yes.

As new residents pour into our Valley, their expectations of a fire department changed. As a kid, I remember the volunteer department racing for the fire station at the sound of a whistle, piling on the fire truck and heading to the fire. Neighbors had already likely pulled out the garden hoses and were doing their best to keep the fire from spreading. We knew the firefighters personally since they lived in the community. Our expectations were they would do the best job they could with the equipment and time they had.

Today our expectations have changed. No longer are rural expectations prevalent. If we need emergency services, we expect them to be there, fast, staffed and equipped. Funding that level of service needs to increase as well. The question is, does it need to increase by the amount proposed by our fire commissioners.

Like I said, this one is tough to call. I’m not even sure which way I will vote and probably won’t know until I head to the polls. If you are concerned about the increase, or support the increase, the best idea is to get involved, meet with the commissioners and ask questions.