Spokane County Fire District 9 seeks levy increase and bond measure

SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Spokane County Fire District 9 is turning to voters this November to approve two funding measures aimed at modernizing its facilities and expanding staffing to keep pace with growing emergency service demands.

The district is proposing a levy lid lift and a new bond measure—the first levy lid lift request in 40 years. If both pass, the average homeowner in the district would pay an additional $52 per month in property taxes.

Fire Chief Matt Vinci explained the urgency behind the proposals.

“The stations were built for delivering emergency services thirty years ago, and now we’re in a different era and we need to modernize our facilities so we can keep up with the demands on our service,” Chief Matt Vinci said.

The proposed levy lid lift and bond would fund several projects. Station 99 would be replaced entirely with a new facility. Additionally, four other fire stations would receive updates, including three stations that have not been renovated since they were built in the mid-1990s.

Beyond facility improvements, the funding would support hiring additional personnel. Chief Matt Vinci noted that the district’s call volume increases by 10% each year, making additional staff necessary to serve all residents in District 9 effectively.

The measures would also allocate funds to create a new training facility at Fire Station 92, providing the district with dedicated space for firefighter education and preparation.

Chief Matt Vinci emphasized that the investments would directly benefit the community. “They’re going to see that our district 9 is operating at the highest possible level because we’re taking your tax dollars and we’re going to invest them in service which ultimately results in the best possible outcome on the daily need of 911,” he said.

Next year’s ballot will also include a maintenance and operation renewal measure. If that measure passes, taxpayers would see a reduction of 20 cents per month, offsetting some of the costs from the new levy lid lift and bond.