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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, July 29, 2002
| Contact: |
Jim Quackenbush, Emergency Communications Director, 360-704-2730 |
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Ken Parsons, President-Thurston County Fire Commissioner’s
Association,
360-412-2100 |
Voters To
Decide Emergency Communications Tax Issue
OLYMPIA – Thurston County voters this fall will
decide whether to tax themselves to provide a financial support base for
Emergency Dispatch (CapCom) services. Thurston
County Commissioners this morning voted to place the issue on the ballot this
fall. The measure would provide a
1/10 of 1 percent increase in the sales tax for county residents.
The tax would generate approximately $2.9 million dollars a year toward
the CapCom budget; money that is now obtained through fees paid by 25 member
agencies including fire districts, Medic One, the cities and the county.
Emergency Dispatch Director Jim Quackenbush says,
“If voters approve the measure, the funding for CapCom would be more stable.
That could mean we would not be forced to cut back services in these times of
revenue reductions to local governments and fire districts, due to citizen
initiatives. We receive an
average of 1,500 calls to 9-1-1 each day for response from the various
emergency services throughout Thurston County.
In times of disaster or major emergency, that number can triple in
matter of hours. ”
Ken Parsons, president of the Thurston County
Fire Commissioner’s Association says “This tax would help provide a
long-term funding source for CapCom. We
believe it’s important and proper to give the voters of Thurston County an
opportunity to decide whether or not they want a stable and consistent funding
base for Emergency Communications.”
The measure is now being forwarded to the
Thurston County Auditor’s Office for placement on the September 17th
primary election. If approved by
voters, the 1/10 of 1% sales tax would go into effect in January of 2003.
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