Camas EMS levy success will require voter education

Camas Fire Chief Nick Swinhart may be facing his biggest challenge to date, in selling Camas voters on a proposal to increase the current emergency services levy.

As reported in the April 3 Post-Record, the Camas City Council voted unanimously to send the EMS levy rate increase to the Aug. 7 ballot. If approved, the six-year levy would raise the current rate from 35 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to 46 cents. That means starting in 2013 the owner of a $300,000 home would pay $138 a year toward the Camas EMS fund — a $33 increase.