Washougal votes on public-safety levies

The Washougal City Council is asking the city’s residents to approve two property tax levy increases this fall to bolster police, fire and emergency services.

Voters will see the measures on the November ballot listed as propositions No. 5 and No. 6. One would raise enough money for the Washougal Police Department to hire another officer, and the other would renew a levy that expired two years ago supporting fire, ambulance and emergency medical services.

The propositions would increase the city’s emergency services levies next year by 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed home valuation — a $25 payment for a home valued at $250,000. Subsequent increases over the following five years would be limited to 1 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever happens to be less.

The council overwhelmingly approved the proposed levy increases in July. Councilor Dave Shoemaker, who wrote the statement supporting Proposition No. 6 in the voters’ pamphlet, said call volume has increased for Washougal police over the past five years while staffing has failed to keep up — so overtime has also increased.

“Washougal needs another police officer,” he wrote. “City population has grown by 8 percent since 2009, but we now have one officer less than in 2009. Rapid police response to an emergency is important to saving lives and property.”

Washougal officials project each levy increase would raise an additional $144,000 for the city. The funding would be important, they say, as the city’s looking to close a projected $322,000 general fund deficit for next year.