Support 30c increase for fire district

In an emergency, every second counts. The Marysville Fire District needs additional resources to build and staff an additional fire station and transition from a part-paid department to a fully staffed department with fulltime firefighters.
Marysville Fire District Proposition 1 is asking for a levy lid lift in the amount of $0.30 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation for Marysville residents.
By spending just $0.30 cents, we can allow our fire district to build and equip a fire station in the rapidly growing southeastern part of the city, near Sunnyside/Whiskey Ridge and transition from a predominantly volunteer force to a full time paid force improving critical response time across the entire city.
Not since 1984 has there been a request by our fire district to lift this levy lid. This is amazing when considering the dramatic population growth we have experienced and the extreme increase in demand for services this growth has placed on our fire district. Add to that the even more amazing fact that as outdated as this levy is, our fire district has met these demands and has saved enough to build and equip the new fire station.
What this levy lid lift will allow us to do is to transition from a part-paid force to a full-time paid force prepared to meet both todays and tomorrows demands. Currently our fire district spends dramatic dollars and time in training part-paid firefighters. It takes a trained corps of 50 to 60 part-paid firefighters to provide us with 24 hour coverage. The problem is that these newly trained part-paid volunteers dont stay, because once trained they are often hired by surrounding fire districts placing us in an endless and costly cycle of recruiting and training.
Based upon excellence in service and demonstrated fiscal prudence, our fire district, more than any governmental agency that I have ever witnessed, deserve our fiscal trust, our admiring appreciation and our full support.
For our safety and for the brave men and women willing to protect us around the clock, vote Yes on the Marysville Fire District Proposition 1.
Caldie Rogers
President/CEO The Greater Marysville/
Tulalip Chamber of Commerce

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