$ Citizens for Common Cents $
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Two Issues
Fire Annexation NO
Vote Yes Feb. 3rd for Schools
Vote No Feb. 3rd for the Blaine Fire Annexation
Fire 13's State Audit
“Yes” will remove the contract and make Blaine Fire and Fire 13 one entity.
This sounds simple and just… but it is not
simple nor just. Currently more money and resources flow from Fire 13 to
Blaine than flow back.
Did the 22% Fire 13 tax increase that we paid last year fund the difference??? See the Tax Table below
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Information You need to Understand the Annexation Issue We regard tax
dollars as a precious resource
Questions we have been asked.
Q. I have already voted on my absentee ballot. I wish I hadn’t. I voted for annexation. I should have voted against it. What can I do? A. You can take your absentee ballot to the county auditor’s office in the court house. They will give you a new one. Fill it out and hand it in. You can also take it to your polling place on Tuesday, February 3rd. and tell them you wish to vote there. You will be given a ballot and you will be able to vote at that time. For Questions you can call the Auditor’s office at 676-6740 (ex. 4)
Q. If we vote in annexation now, will we be able to vote ourselves out later? A. Good question. We have no answer of how that
could happen. It appears that Blaine may have a chance to back out
within three years. Q. If we vote against annexation now, can we change
our mind and vote for it at another time?
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Questions you should be asking!!
Is Fire 13 providing Fire Marshal services for Blaine? Who provides Fire Marshal services for Fire 13? The Fire Rating for Fire 13 is 5. (1 is best, 9 the worst.) How long have we had that rating? What is the fire rating in Blaine? How long have they had that fire rating? If Blaine were annexed to
Fire 13, would we as a fire district need to improve Blaine’s rating? Protecting the boats in the Blaine harbors, the Port of Bellingham property, and US Government Buildings, all cost money. How do the funds flow and how much money is involved In the past 25 years Fire 13 tax payers have made a tremendous investment. What assurances do we have that Blaine will make the investments that are comparable to Fire 13? |
Statements from
Washington
State Auditor’s Office Report
Whatcom County Fire Protection District No. 13
February 1, 2003 through October
15, 2003
The Districts made inadequately supported payments and lent District assets to North Whatcom Fire and Rescue Services.
Background:
In June 2001, Whatcom County Fire Protection Districts Nos. 3, 5 and 13 entered
into an interlocal agreement forming North
Whatcom Fire and Rescue Services. The Agency is a non-profit
organization created to allow the Districts to share fire protection and
administrative services. The Agency employs fire protection and administrative
staff and operates a fire engine repair shop. Each District is governed by a
Board of three elected Commissioners. The Agency is governed by a six-member
Board consisting of two of the three commissioners from each member District.
Description
of Condition:
Our audit found:
· The Districts made multiple payments to and on behalf of the Agency. The payments were not supported by documentation identifying the benefit provided to the individual Districts. The payments were made for payroll expenditures.
We also found:
· District 13 loaned an estimated $140,000 to the Agency. The terms and conditions of the loan, including a repayment schedule, were not put in writing. The verbal arrangements requiring monthly payments of $1,000 have not been consistently followed.
· District 13’s assets were used to secure lease agreements for equipment and software. The agreements were signed by an employee of the Agency and were not authorized by the Districts’ Boards of Commissioners. The lease payments required in the agreements total $186,456.
· District 3 did not receive shop space lease payments from the Agency, as required in the lease agreement. The Agency is $51,592 in arrears on the payments.
· District 13 pledged its assets to finance a $150,000 line of credit for the Agency. A portion of the line of credit was used to make payments on the leases discussed above.
Tax Rates from Whatcom County Assessor’s Booklet for 2002 & 2003
|
District |
Assessed |
Levy |
Tax |
Assessed |
Levy |
Tax |
More Taxes |
As a Percentage |
|
Fire 13 |
$684,358,102 |
1.27 |
$869,135 |
$741,083,731 |
1.44 |
$1,063,426 |
$194,291 |
22% |
Fire 13 property taxes collected have gone up 22% from 2002 to 2003.
It is displeasure to be nay sayers to
what looks, at least on the surface, to be good for our communities.
It must be done. Join us in voting NO Fire Annexation on Feb. 3rd.
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