Within the Snoqualmie Valley, there are four local ballot measures on the Nov. 8 ballot, most of them related to fire protection services and all of them named Proposition 1.

The measures affect nearly every city in the Valley:

The merger of Fire Districts 10 and 38 in the Eastside Regional Fire Authority’s proposal will be voted on by residents in Carnation and unincorporated areas of North Bend and Snoqualmie;

The M&O levy proposed by Fall City Fire will affect future operations in Fire Protection District 27;

The city of Snoqualmie’s Proposition 1 needs voter approval to expand public safety staffing levels in the city; and

The city of Duvall’s Proposition 1 has three components, improvements to Big Rock Ballfield, increasing the city’s IT budget, and increasing funding for a school resource officer. The city of Duvall also has an advisory vote on the ballot, asking residents whether the city should allow the sale, possession or discharge of any consumer fireworks in the city.

Record Staff have summarized the details of each Proposition this week.

Snoqualmie Proposition 1

Name on ballot: Proposition No. 1 Public Safety Levy

Sponsoring Organization: City of Snoqualmie

Anticipated cost: 23 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, approximately $92 annually for a $400,000 home

Anticipated revenue: Approximately $633,000 in new revenue per year.

Projected total levy rate: Approximately $2.78 per $1,000 of assessed value.

What it will do: Snoqualmie’s public safety levy will provide the funding for two police officer positions and one additional firefighter in order to maintain levels of service and response times throughout the city. The levy will also address other public safety costs related to Snoqualmie’s level of service.

Despite the rapid growth of Snoqualmie, the number of officers employed by the city has not grown since 2001. At a town hall meeting to explain the proposition to citizens, Interim Police Chief Jim Schaffer said in 2001, Snoqualmie’s population was 2,574 and the city employed 14 officers. In 2016, Snoqualmie’s population has grown to be more than 13,000 but the city still employs only 14 officers.

Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson said with more officers, the police department’s investigations and response time will improve.

“Now it’s drilled down to slightly more than one officer per thousand, including the police chief and captain with a population of over 13,000,” Larson said. “It’s hard to get spread thinner trying to respond to increasing volumes of calls.”

An additional firefighter would allow the city to be appropriately staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Larson said. During the day there is a minimum of three firefighters on duty and in the evening the minimum is two. If Proposition 1 is approved, the department could meet its minimum goal of three people on duty at all times.

Fire Chief Mark Correira said that an additional employee would ensure reliability and improve response times to fires and medical emergencies.

“Also from a medical response perspective it’s important we have that level of staffing,” Correira said.

Total levy amount: According to Snoqualmie’s Chief Financial Officer Nicholas Lee, the levy rate of 23 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation would net the city approximately $633,000 in new property tax revenue.

Effective Date: If adopted, the levy would take effect five days after being officially publicized by the city as required by law.

Needed to pass: Simple majority.