LET’S TALK ABOUT EMERGENCY SERVICES AND GROWTH

If you live in Ada or Canyon counties, you’ve seen how our communities have grown. The Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) predicts the Kuna Rural Fire District (the KRFD) will grow by 74% in 10 years.

Our fire district does not grant permission for new housing developments, or commercial centers. However, it must plan for, and provide emergency services to existing residents and those who move here. And, we are struggling.

Daily operations at the KRFD are funded by a property tax levy of $0.81 per $1,000 of assessed property value. This is the lowest levy rate of any fire district with the same quality and level of service in Ada and Canyon counties. We are limited in the amount of revenue we can collect, and the Fire District has not had a voter-approved funding increase in almost 30 years.

Our community requires additional firefighters to respond to higher call volumes (72.42% increase in 10 years), and increasing concurrent calls which account for almost 25% of all emergencies. We are unable to hire additional firefighters at our current levy rate.

Adequate facilities and emergency apparatus also are important for the safety of our community. Our fire district has a capital facilities plan to serve our community for the next 10 years. New growth contributes “impact fees” to offset costs for capital items like fire stations and engines. However, this revenue is not enough to cover the full cost of these improvements, which also benefit existing residents.

The KRFD considered all options to fund emergency service improvements while reducing impacts to taxpayers. We had asked voters to increase the existing property tax levy, which was not approved. We’ve changed the proposal to improve emergency services at a lower annual cost for taxpayers.

The KRFD Board of Fire Commissioners is asking voters to approve a smaller levy increase for additional firefighters and a bond for a station on the November 8, 2022 General Election ballot. This funding strategy is more affordable for taxpayers than just a larger operations levy increase. For example, the projected increase for the average property owner (defined as $471,000 with the $125,000 primary residence exemption) would be $6.79 per month ($81.45 per year) for both the levy and the bond.

Please note that all revenue stays in the local community to save lives and property, as well as provide family-wage jobs for local residents. Check back here to learn more about the proposal. We also encourage you to send your thoughts and comments to Chief T.J. Lawrence at chief@kunafire.com or 208-922-1144 ext. 2.

IN THE NEWS

Kuna Rural Fire District outlines struggles in bond and levy Q&A
https://www.idahopress.com/kuna/news/kuna-rural-fire-district-outlines-struggles-in-bond-and-levy-q-a/article_0bbfc4f0-563a-11ed-b0fd-d3a72840e760.html

Kuna Fire asks for levy increase and bond to keep up with rising call volume
https://idahonews.com/news/local/kuna-fire-asks-for-levy-increase-and-bond-to-keep-up-with-rising-call-volume

Kuna has five firefighters to respond to 2,000 calls a year. It seeks taxpayer help
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/west-ada/article267561162.html

Kuna fire department hopes for green light on bond and levy
https://theusatoday.news/idaho/kuna-fire-department-hopes-for-green-light-on-bond-and-levy-12773/

Kuna Fire hopes for green light on bond and levy. Here's why and what it means for voters
https://www.kivitv.com/news/kuna-fire-hopes-for-green-light-on-bond-and-levy-heres-why-and-what-it-means-for-voters

Kuna Fire facing staffing challenges
https://news.yahoo.com/kuna-fire-facing-staffing-challenges-224153378.html

Kuna Fire asks for new station, firefighters to keep pace with rising calls
https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/growing-idaho/kuna-fire-asks-for-new-station-firefighters-due-to-rising-calls/277-3fb02202-4cfb-424c-9ada-d62481349b11
Overwhelmed, ID Fire Department Needs New Station, Additional FFs
https://www.firehouse.com/careers-education/video/21281441/kuna-id-fire-department-asks-for-new-station-personnel
Kuna Fire asks for new station, firefighters to keep pace with rising calls
https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/growing-idaho/kuna-fire-asks-for-new-station-firefighters-due-to-rising-calls/277-3fb02202-4cfb-424c-9ada-d62481349b11

Kuna Board of Fire Commissioners passes levy for more firefighters
https://idahonews.com/news/local/krfd-board-of-fire-commissioners-passes-levy-and-bond-resolutions

Kuna Rural Fire Department commissioners pass levy, bond resolutions to try to increase funding
https://www.kivitv.com/news/kuna-rural-fire-department-commissioners-pass-levy-bond-resolutions-to-try-to-increase-funding

Kuna Rural Fire Department considers resolutions for funding
https://spotonidaho.com/boise-region/682622/kuna-rural-fire-department-considers.html

Letters: Fire bond (LINK TO https://www.idahopress.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letters-to-the-editor-may-24/article_f131d7ae-3515-5b71-a2f7-f923eedebbae.html)Kuna Melba News - May 24, 2022

Letters to the editor: KUNA FIRE (LINK TO https://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article261645022.html)Idaho Stateman - May 22, 2022

'We’re struggling': Increase in call volume proving difficult for Kuna Rural Fire District (LINK TO https://www.idahopress.com/kuna/news/we-re-struggling-increase-in-call-volume-proving-difficult-for-kuna-rural-fire-district/article_b2435a21-4087-5b36-ac0d-d468f2027c63.html) Kuna Melba News - April 7, 2022

KTVB - Kuna Rural Fire District juggling increased call volumes and overlapping calls (LINK TO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u412eC6vvQ) KTVB TV - April 7, 2022