RES 25-012Resolution No. 25-012
A RESOLUTION Expressing the Intent of the City Council to Reduce the City of Camas Property Tax
Levy in the event the formation of a Regional Fire Authority is Approved by Voters at the November
2025 General Election.
WHEREAS, the City of Camas and the City of Washougal have had a long-standing cooperative partnership,
striving to provide the highest level of fire and emergency medical services to their citizens within the confines
of available resources. This cooperative partnership began in the 1970s with the provision of a regional
ambulance service and culminated with an interlocal agreement in 2014, which provided for a consolidation
of services as the Camas Washougal Fire Department, with Camas providing services to Washougal.
WHEREAS, while this cooperative relationship has served the public well for many years, as a result of the
needs of a growing community and demands for enhanced fire and EMS services, the Camas City Council and
the Washougal City Council have determined that it is in the public interest to place a measure before the
voters that if approved would result in formation of a Regional Fire Authority (RF A).
WHEREAS, pursuant to RCW 52.26.030 and 52.26.040, Camas and Washougal formed an RFA Planning
Committee to evaluate the feasibility of creating a new and separate regional fire authority to provide the fire
protection and emergency services within the boundaries of Camas and Washougal, the members of which
Committee included three City Council members from Camas and three City Council members from Washougal.
WHEREAS, over a period of several months, the Planning Committee met and created a RFA Plan ("Plan")
providing for the governance, design, financing, and development of fire protection and emergency services.
WHEREAS, the Planning Committee held its final meeting on October 16, 2024, and unanimously
recommended approval of the Plan to the Camas City Council and Washougal City Council.
WHEREAS, the Camas City Council and Washougal City Council met in joint work session on November 6,
2024, to review the recommended Plan., with each Council then meeting individually to discuss the proposed
Plan.
WHEREAS, the Council approved a Joint Resolution to formally adopt the Plan and certify it to the April 2025
special election ballot pursuant to RCW 52.26.060.
WHEREAS, the Joint Resolution placed the Plan before voters within the proposed service boundaries of the
RFA at a special election held on April 22, 2025, calling for the creation of a RFA which shall be known as the
Resolution 25-012
"Camas Washougal Fire Authority," to be funded by a $1.05 per $1,000 assessed valuation property tax levy and
the approval of the Plan, all in accordance with state law.
WHEREAS, the result of the special election indicates that the Plan did not pass.
WHEREAS, on January 29, 2024, Camas and Washougal executed a MODIFICATION AND CONDITIONAL
EXTENSION OF INTERLOCALAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITIES OF CAMAS AND WASHOUGAL
FOR THE FORMATION AND OPERATION OF THE CAMAS-WASHOUGAL FIRE DEPARTMENT DATED
DECEMBER4, 2013.
WHEREAS, Item # 1 of the Modification and Conditional Extension provides that " ... the parties bind
themselves to place the RFA Plan on the ballot for April 2025 and, if necessary, for November 2025 ."
WHEREAS, in accordance with the Modification and Conditional Extension, Plan and state law, the Camas
City Council and the Washougal City Council approved a joint resolution to place before voters within the
proposed service boundaries of the RFA at the general election to be held on November 4, 2025, a proposition
calling for the creation of a RF A which shall be known as the Camas-Washougal Fire Authority to be funded
by a $1.05 per $1,000 assessed value property tax levy and the approval of the Plan, all in accordance with
state law.
WHEREAS, in the event of approval, the RFA would be effective September 1, 2026, and would begin to receive
this property tax revenue and be responsible for providing Fire/EMS services in 2027 and the City of Camas
would no longer pay the costs of providing Fire/EMS services beginning in 2027, eliminating approximately
$5,500,000 of expenses from the general fund (net of the EMS levy).
WHEREAS, in the event the Plan is approved at the November 2025 general election, the Council intends to
reduce the City of Camas's property tax levy by an amount equal to the $5,500,000 estimated expense reduction
should the RFA be approved by voters, with a currently estimated rate reduction of $0.71 per $1,000 assessed
valuation.
WHEREAS, the reduction will occur for 2027 at an estimated rate reduction of $0.71 per $1,000 assessed
valuation with the exact rate known in the fourth quarter of 2026 when assessed valuation information for 2027
is received from the County Assessor's office.
WHEREAS, the Council intends that this levy reduction will generally be the basis for calculating future property
tax levies subject to the limits set forth by state law.
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Resolution 25-012
WHEREAS, the Council desires to express the intent to reduce the City of Camas's property tax levy by an
amount equal to the $5,500,000 estimated expense reduction should the RFA be approved by voters at the
November 2025 General Election.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CAMAS as follows:
Section I
In the event the RFA Plan is approved by voters in November 2025 it is the intent of the Camas City Council to
reduce the property tax levy by an amount equal to the estimated 2027 expenditures for Fire/EMS (net of the
EMS levy) at an estimated rate reduction of approximately $0.71 per $1,000 of assessed valuation with the exact
rate known in the fourth quarter of 2026 when assessed valuation information for 2027 is received from the
County Assessor's office.
ADOPTED by the Council of the City of Camas at regular meeting on the 4th day of August 2025.
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
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