Camas-Washougal voters to decide regional fire authority issue in April

The cities of Camas and Washougal are asking voters to consider forming a Regional Fire Authority (RFA) that would make the current partnership permanent. An RFA is an independent agency to provide fire and emergency medical service (EMS) with one governing board representing residents in both cities. RFA supporters say it would offer a higher level of service for residents, streamline fire and EMS operations and provide a fairer, more cost-effective funding model for fire and emergency medical services in Camas-Washougal. Camas-Washougal voters will decide the issue this spring, during the April 22 special election. For nearly a century, Camas and Washougal have collaborated in delivering fire and emergency services, dating back to 1935 when Camas began offering ambulance service to Washougal. Since 2011, the two cities have operated under a trial consolidation and a temporary partnership established by an interlocal agreement in 2014. In the agreement, Camas maintains the fire department and Washougal contracts with Camas for emergency services. Camas-Washougal Fire Department leaders and Camas-Washougal city officials have said the current structure is not an efficient way to run a fire department. According to the city of Camas, as costs for emergency services increase, property owners in Camas and Washougal pay for fire service through the general property tax levy, reducing the revenue available for police, parks, streets and other services. City leaders say placing the authority directly in the hands of residents through one governing body would ensure that both Camas and Washougal continue to receive top-tier emergency services without sacrificing funding for other critical city functions. If voters approve the RFA in April, property owners would pay the RFA directly for services eliminating the cities as the intermediary. Most importantly, property owners in both cities would pay the same rate for service of $1.05 per $1,000 assessed property value. According to RFA proponents, “this ensures fairness and stability, as the costs are no longer divided between two cities with differing tax structures … (and) this equal investment means there can be collaborative, long-term emergency services planning for both communities as they grow.” Camas-Washougal fire leaders say higher call volumes are impacting response capacity and require more emergency personnel. The RFA would provide three-person engine companies – instead of the two-person companies provided now — enabling the first arriving engine to enter a burning building to rescue a victim instead of waiting for additional emergency personnel to arrive. The RFA also would provide more personnel in case of any emergency, such as wildland fires, motor vehicle accidents, technical rescues, multiple patient scenes, hazardous spills and school emergencies. The RFA, proponents say, allows for saving money for fire engines, other emergency apparatus and equipment. It also would waive the copay for ambulance transports to area hospitals and allow the fire authority to seek a better community-risk rating to help lower homeowner insurance premiums. The city of Camas currently has a property tax levy of $1.90 per $1,000 of a home's assessed value, which funds essential services such as fire, police, streets, parks and recreation and the Camas Public Library. The proposed RFA levy is $1.05 per $1,000 assessed property value (APV). To offset this, the city of Camas plans to reduce its existing levy, resulting in a net increase of 45 cents per $1,000 APV for Camas homeowners. For a Camas home valued at $650,000, this means an annual tax increase of $292.50, or under $25 per month for fire service in 2026. A $583,000 home is considered the average for Washougal. In 2026, under the current system, Washougal property owners would pay approximately 88 cents per $1,000 APV, which includes a 7 cents per $1,000 APV temporary levy. If the RFA is approved by voters, Washougal plans to reduce its general property tax levy by 81 cents in 2026 and by 7 cents in 2027, when the temporary levy expires. This means Washougal property owners would pay an additional 24 cents per $1,000 APV. For the average homeowner in Washougal, it would cost $139.92 per year or $11.66 per month for fire service in 2026 under the RFA and even less — around $99 per year or $8.26 a month in 2027 when the city of Washougal’s temporary levy expires. Both cities have an EMS levy to help fund emergency medical services. When these levies expire, the property owners would pay the RFA directly for this service. Ballots for the April 22 special election will be mailed out on April 4. For more information about the RFA proposal, visit engagecamas.com/rfa-proposal or cityofwashougal.us/RFA

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