Primary Election: Yakima fire districts' levies on track to pass; Selah pool levy failing

(The Center Square) – As election officials continue to process votes from Tuesday’s primary, the initial results show success across all but one of the tax measures that appeared on Yakima County ballots.

Three of the county’s 13 fire protection districts asked voters to pass property tax levies to maintain their current operating level. The request comes as hundreds of personnel continue to fight the flames of the nearby Retreat Fire, which currently encompasses over 44,000 acres.

Fire Protection District No. 1 asked residents to raise its current rate of 69 cents to $1 per every $1,000 of assessed property value. The six-year levy would increase its rate by 1% for the following five years until expiring; however, the district could hike the rate with voter approval.

The rate change represents an almost 45% increase, and as of Thursday morning, 67.85% of the 367 respondents supported it. That sets it up to pass with a far enough margin, assuming support doesn’t swing the other way as more votes are processed.

Yakima County has received almost 33,000 ballots; however, it still needs to process an estimated 10,000, nearly a third of all votes.

Fire Protection District No. 4 also put a levy on the ballot, but it wants to raise its current rate from $1.25 to $1.42 per every $1,000 of assessed property value. The tax hike represents a 13.5% increase from the current rate and could increase by 1% for each of the five years after.

On Thursday morning, 62.21% of the 2,204 people who voted on the measure did so in support.

Fire Protection District No. 12 put the second largest tax increase on the ballot, asking residents to raise the current rate of 89 cents to $1.14 per every $1,000 of assessed property value. The increase means the tax district would face a 28% increase from the current rate.

Similar to Districts 1 and 4, 64.98% of the 1,662 people who voted on the measure supported it.

The only levy at risk of not passing is for the Selah Aquatic Center, which asked residents to pay 7 cents for every $1,000 of assessed property value. SAC stated on its website that it can’t sustain its current operating level without this funding as expenses are steadily outpacing revenues.

While the ask is cheaper than the other measures, only 59.82% of respondents supported it. This reaches a simple majority, but may not be enough to pass a new levy, which typically needs a supermajority of 60% approval.

The Center Square contacted SAC to confirm whether it needs the supermajority to pass; however, no one was immediately available for comment.

SAC’s levy could still pass with around 10,000 ballots left to process, but it’s a toss-up for now.