Camas resident Margaret Tweet shares her views on proposed Regional Fire Authority
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
Camas-Washougal voters should closely examine the higher costs of the proposed new TAX DISTRICT for a Regional Fire Authority (RFA). Not included in the voter’s guide or RFA city explanations is the recent news that the WA State Legislature is in the process of boosting the property TAX limit from 1% to 3% or more for state and local TAX DISTRICTS including Fire Districts, counties, cities, ports, schools and more. A new RFA TAX of $1.05 per thousand is proposed, in addition to existing EMS TAX and the Public Safety Bond TAX.
Camas & Washougal each passed a 6-year EMS TAX, to be collected by each city thru expiration. Camas EMS TAX is $ .46 per $1000 value. Washougal EMS TAX is $ .50 per $1000. Under the RFA plan, the EMS TAX would be renewed in 2030, perhaps at a higher rate, then paid to the RFA instead of the cities. The EMS TAX stays, now paid to cities, later paid to RFA, if it is formed.
Each city approved a Public Safety Bond for a fire station, engine(s) etc to be collected by cities thru expiration. In Camas a 20-year bond for a downtown fire station, fire engine and equipment starts in 2025 with a tax rate of~$.22 per $1000 property value. Washougal’s 28-year bond for a combined fire/police station starts in 2025 at rate of ~$.18 per $1000 value.
| Per $1000 value | EMS TAX | BOND TAX | City TAX | RFA TAX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camas | $.46 | $.22 | $1.94 | $1.05 |
| Washougal | $.50 | $.18 | $1.55 | $1.05 |
City websites explain plans to reduce tax levies in 2006 to partially offset the $1.05 RFA tax. Any reductions or additions to city property TAXES for 2006 would be made at the end of 2025 during budget discussions. Tax reductions or offsets in other years are not mentioned. The RFA TAX of $1.05 would continue every year if started, and could increase annually. With much higher property tax limits looming, up to 3% or more, that could significantly raise property taxes, and rents too.
An RFA is not required to maintain Fire and EMS services in our area.
”Residents overwhelmingly support the existing system, as demonstrated by a recent City of Camas survey showing exceptionally high satisfaction rates with current service levels.” – Concerned Taxpayers of Camas and Washougal For more information see Concerned Taxpayers website
Margaret Tweet
Camas
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This is the weblink for Concerned Taxpayers of Camas and Washougal with relevant information about Regional Fire District Tax Authorities.
https://camasrfa.concernedtaxpayers.click/
On my Camas Property Tax Statement from the County Treasurer’s office
front side are listed 3 “City Camas” Tax amounts
with incomplete descriptions. The name of each TAX should be shown.
City Camas
City Camas-City Camas- Public Sa
City Camas
Back side statement: Comparison of Tax History- 2024 to 2025
Voted Levy City Camas 2025= $.68 levy rate
Camas Finance Dept.explained EMS levy rate & PublicSafetyBond/FireStation levy rate in response to email, since details not clear on the Property Tax Statement.
Non Voted levy rate City Camas 2025=$1.94879
A few sections of the city website for the RFA are unclear. Eg:
“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 & recreation, and the library.
2025 City Non-voted levy rate on my statement is $1.95, slightly higher.
FAQ-What do I currently pay for Fire and EMS?
The answer listed is for 2026, yet it is now April, 2025. All the 2025 levy rates are known and printed on our vague Property Tax Statements, which I had to clarify with the City Finance Department. Years, levy names, and details should be correct.
City paid paid consultants a LOT for the website details. The FAQ’s was a single page downloaded from California.
On Property Tax Statements from the treasurer, should show more detail, such as K-12 added to school taxes for clarity. eg,
Voted Levy
SD117 Camas School K-12
Non Voted Levy
State School K-12
State School-Part 2 K-12
The FAQ from engagecamas page at Camas city website
“FAQ: What do I currently pay for Fire and EMS?
Camas: In 2026 under the current system, property owners would pay approximately $0.73 per $1,000″
The current year is 2025, not 2026
“FAQ How would the RFA be funded?
Property owners would pay the RFA directly for services eliminating the cities as the intermediary”
Formation of RFA is set to trigger Union contract renegotiations see
https://camasrfa.concernedtaxpayers.click/
Camas need that fire levy. The city never planned for the firemen to succeed in rescues. I heard a Camas former fire battalion chief speak about this levy. He was trying to get people to vote yes.
He said Camas puts two firemen on each truck. If there was a fire, one stays with the truck and the other squirts the flames. They are NOT allowed to go into a building without back up to rescue anyone. It is too much liability if a man who went into a burning building and no one was with him to back him up, if he got hurt. (like a ceiling caving in) So if a person was in a burning building they are NOT allowed to be rescued cause of only 2 men on a truck. He gave a story during his career in Camas where they came upon a burning house and a man was inside screaming. This was against the city rules to go in and save him…They did do the right thing. The man ended up dying any way.
This should have been in the city budget years ago. It would have cost some money to put an extra person on each shift and every fire truck to do their job correctly. The city council is to blame. Rescues are part of the job but not in Camas! Pray you are never inside a burning building and need help to get out! My X was a fireman in CA and I never saw a two-person truck.