The voters spoke clearly and officially rejected the RFA annexation scheme. Our Mayor and Council have no choice but to drop this tax hike attempt and finally look for real, affordable alternatives. We stopped this theft cold and I am proud of every single person who refused to be pushed …
January 16, 2025
Final supporters
Vote NO! on April 22nd election for South County/Regional Fire Authority annexation.
Hit the pause button! Avoid huge local property tax increase. Force Mayor and Council to do proper due diligence on lower cost fire/ems alternatives.
This i-Petition is supported by a large number of Edmonds’ concerned citizens. We believe that the Mayor and Council need to hear from a critical mass of residents who are tired of incessant South County Regional Fire Authority (RFA) service price increases and who oppose annexation into the RFA.
The RFA has had a ‘cost plus profit’ contract with the City of Edmonds since 2010. This was a fair contract for both parties as it allowed price increases based on actual cost increases. But the contract price was increased 50% between 2019 and 2023, with no cost increase justification and no increase in services or faster 911 response. The RFA unilaterally cancelled the contract effective 12/31/2025. The RFA is now using its monopoly pricing powers to increase prices from $12 million/yr for 2025 to over $21 million/yr starting January 2026 - a 75% increase, with no change in service levels! The RFA has committed to provide the same level of fire/ems services even if you Vote No! on annexation.
The RFA wants to annex Edmonds into its territory and collect taxes directly from Edmonds property owners. You will be double taxed as the City intends to keep $6M in taxes that you currently pay to the City for fire/ems services! A homeowner in Edmonds whose house has an assessed value of $1M will pay about $960 more in taxes per year for the same level of service after annexation. The RFA’s operating budget and reserve fund will simply get bigger. Why would anyone vote for annexation?
In December 2024, the City Council approved an RFA annexation ballot measure for the April 22, 2025 special election that will give voters the chance to approve or reject RFA annexation and its huge tax increase. Once annexed, Edmonds’ residents have little influence over the RFA budget or operation, since our Board position will reflect our 14% share of the annexed customer base. Once annexed we cannot easily reverse the decision.
Please sign this i-Petition and tell the Mayor and Council to stop advocating for annexation. Tell them that you want reasonably priced Fire/Ems service - either with Edmonds' own fire department, a contract with another city, or a contract with a different fire district. Tell the Mayor and Council that you want them to do proper due diligence and evaluate and implement a Fire/Ems service strategy where we have more control over costs and levels of service.
We have no complaints with the first responders themselves. This i-Petition is needed to call out RFA management who have not managed Fire/Ems operations efficiently. They have not managed costs nor delivered on any economies of scale after multiple annexations. They have not implemented a dedicated paramedic staff to respond more efficiently to 85% of all 911 calls that are for medical emergencies. Because Edmonds owns its fire stations and has rights to buy back our fire engines from the RFA, we have an opportunity to establish an efficient and lower cost Fire/EMS service and save $8M per year. The Council has not evaluated alternatives nor completed any pro-forma financial analyses. Instead, they spent $64,000 of your tax dollars on a PR contract to 'sell' the benefits of RFA annexation. They're spending $200,000 for the County to provide voter pamphlets and election tabulation for the April 22nd special election! All that money should have been spent for due diligence on lower cost Fire/Ems service alternatives that can provide excellent Fire/Ems services and control future cost increases better than the RFA.
After signing this i-Petition, please share it with your friends and neighbors and ask them to sign soon. All voting-eligible members of your household should be invited to sign the petition.
We can do better! Please visit our concerned citizens' website - https://edmondscandobetter.org to see FAQs and learn more about the reasons to Vote No! on RFA annexation. Take note of the signers of this petition and the endorser list on our website. We have many community leaders who are supporting a No Vote on RFA annexation.
Click on the following My Edmonds News articles that cover different issues with RFA annexation and include many citizen comments:
https://myedmondsnews.com/2024/12/reader-view-taxe...
https://myedmondsnews.com/2025/02/council-rejects-...
https://myedmondsnews.com/2025/02/reader-view-opin...
https://myedmondsnews.com/2025/01/letter-to-the-ed...
Feel free to send a Public Comment to the Council to emphasize your concerns -
https://www.edmondswa.gov/government/city_council/online_public_comment
Please note that the i-Petition 'Donate' button goes to i-Petition app developers, not to our citizens group.
Updates
December 14, 2024
The South County RFA is dangling a massive tax hike in front of us while pretending they provide a service worth the price. Our Mayor and Council are failing to hold this monopoly accountable so we have to force the issue ourselves by voting no on this blatant cash grab.
Reached 100 supporters
December 14, 2024
50 Comments
The Mayor and Council just want to dump the financial crisis on the backs of taxpayers and take the easy way out by supporting the mismanaged RFA. The RFA won't even track cost of service, cost per capita, and performance metrics that show how inefficient and wasteful their organization is.
I would like to understand why funding is assessed property value vs a cost model. Why should someone in Edmonds pay more for elms services than lynnwood. Why should someone with a higher assessed value in Edmonds pay more than someone with a lower assessed value for the same service? If we go with the rfa we should discuss the budgeting and challenge the use of property taxes.
There are too many indicators of bad fiscal management to date on the part of the RFA to support the annexation at this time. I also do not think we should give away the fire stations if we even think there might be a need to buy them back in the future.
Can somebody please talk about the role that the Public Hospital District/Verdant plays in this? Property taxes are paid to them, they have about $62 million in reserves and investments (check out their budget on their website) and have the statutory power to offer and pay for ambulance services.
My elderly parents have already had to sell their house back to the bank in order to be able to stay in their home. Edmonds cannot afford even higher property taxes.
RFA is just the warm up act. Next the police department. I want our own police department and would rather see an increase for police protection. No rent-a-cops please.
I do not support this program. Everything, to include sewer and water, as well as electricity, is too expensive! We need the DOGE committee to review city expenses and reduce costs.
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The voters spoke clearly and officially rejected the RFA annexation scheme. Our Mayor and Council have no choice but to drop this tax hike attempt and finally look for real, affordable alternatives. We stopped this theft cold and I am proud of every single person who refused to be pushed …
January 16, 2025
Final supporters
Vote NO! on April 22nd election for South County/Regional Fire Authority annexation.
Hit the pause button! Avoid huge local property tax increase. Force Mayor and Council to do proper due diligence on lower cost fire/ems alternatives.
This i-Petition is supported by a large number of Edmonds’ concerned citizens. We believe that the Mayor and Council need to hear from a critical mass of residents who are tired of incessant South County Regional Fire Authority (RFA) service price increases and who oppose annexation into the RFA.
The RFA has had a ‘cost plus profit’ contract with the City of Edmonds since 2010. This was a fair contract for both parties as it allowed price increases based on actual cost increases. But the contract price was increased 50% between 2019 and 2023, with no cost increase justification and no increase in services or faster 911 response. The RFA unilaterally cancelled the contract effective 12/31/2025. The RFA is now using its monopoly pricing powers to increase prices from $12 million/yr for 2025 to over $21 million/yr starting January 2026 - a 75% increase, with no change in service levels! The RFA has committed to provide the same level of fire/ems services even if you Vote No! on annexation.
The RFA wants to annex Edmonds into its territory and collect taxes directly from Edmonds property owners. You will be double taxed as the City intends to keep $6M in taxes that you currently pay to the City for fire/ems services! A homeowner in Edmonds whose house has an assessed value of $1M will pay about $960 more in taxes per year for the same level of service after annexation. The RFA’s operating budget and reserve fund will simply get bigger. Why would anyone vote for annexation?
In December 2024, the City Council approved an RFA annexation ballot measure for the April 22, 2025 special election that will give voters the chance to approve or reject RFA annexation and its huge tax increase. Once annexed, Edmonds’ residents have little influence over the RFA budget or operation, since our Board position will reflect our 14% share of the annexed customer base. Once annexed we cannot easily reverse the decision.
Please sign this i-Petition and tell the Mayor and Council to stop advocating for annexation. Tell them that you want reasonably priced Fire/Ems service - either with Edmonds' own fire department, a contract with another city, or a contract with a different fire district. Tell the Mayor and Council that you want them to do proper due diligence and evaluate and implement a Fire/Ems service strategy where we have more control over costs and levels of service.
We have no complaints with the first responders themselves. This i-Petition is needed to call out RFA management who have not managed Fire/Ems operations efficiently. They have not managed costs nor delivered on any economies of scale after multiple annexations. They have not implemented a dedicated paramedic staff to respond more efficiently to 85% of all 911 calls that are for medical emergencies. Because Edmonds owns its fire stations and has rights to buy back our fire engines from the RFA, we have an opportunity to establish an efficient and lower cost Fire/EMS service and save $8M per year. The Council has not evaluated alternatives nor completed any pro-forma financial analyses. Instead, they spent $64,000 of your tax dollars on a PR contract to 'sell' the benefits of RFA annexation. They're spending $200,000 for the County to provide voter pamphlets and election tabulation for the April 22nd special election! All that money should have been spent for due diligence on lower cost Fire/Ems service alternatives that can provide excellent Fire/Ems services and control future cost increases better than the RFA.
After signing this i-Petition, please share it with your friends and neighbors and ask them to sign soon. All voting-eligible members of your household should be invited to sign the petition.
We can do better! Please visit our concerned citizens' website - https://edmondscandobetter.org to see FAQs and learn more about the reasons to Vote No! on RFA annexation. Take note of the signers of this petition and the endorser list on our website. We have many community leaders who are supporting a No Vote on RFA annexation.
Click on the following My Edmonds News articles that cover different issues with RFA annexation and include many citizen comments:
https://myedmondsnews.com/2024/12/reader-view-taxe...
https://myedmondsnews.com/2025/02/council-rejects-...
https://myedmondsnews.com/2025/02/reader-view-opin...
https://myedmondsnews.com/2025/01/letter-to-the-ed...
Feel free to send a Public Comment to the Council to emphasize your concerns -
https://www.edmondswa.gov/government/city_council/online_public_comment
Please note that the i-Petition 'Donate' button goes to i-Petition app developers, not to our citizens group.
Updates
December 14, 2024
The South County RFA is dangling a massive tax hike in front of us while pretending they provide a service worth the price. Our Mayor and Council are failing to hold this monopoly accountable so we have to force the issue ourselves by voting no on this blatant cash grab.
Reached 100 supporters
December 14, 2024
50 Comments
RFA management has not been fiscally prudent. A $1200 tax increase on a million$ home, given our escalated housing values, is an onerous expense and not affordable for those on fixed incomes. Edmonds taxpayers should not be supporting the mismanagement of the RFA.
The Mayor and Council just want to dump the financial crisis on the backs of taxpayers and take the easy way out by supporting the mismanaged RFA. The RFA won't even track cost of service, cost per capita, and performance metrics that show how inefficient and wasteful their organization is.
I would like to understand why funding is assessed property value vs a cost model. Why should someone in Edmonds pay more for elms services than lynnwood. Why should someone with a higher assessed value in Edmonds pay more than someone with a lower assessed value for the same service? If we go with the rfa we should discuss the budgeting and challenge the use of property taxes.
There are too many indicators of bad fiscal management to date on the part of the RFA to support the annexation at this time. I also do not think we should give away the fire stations if we even think there might be a need to buy them back in the future.
Can somebody please talk about the role that the Public Hospital District/Verdant plays in this? Property taxes are paid to them, they have about $62 million in reserves and investments (check out their budget on their website) and have the statutory power to offer and pay for ambulance services.
My elderly parents have already had to sell their house back to the bank in order to be able to stay in their home. Edmonds cannot afford even higher property taxes.
RFA is just the warm up act. Next the police department. I want our own police department and would rather see an increase for police protection. No rent-a-cops please.
I do not support this program. Everything, to include sewer and water, as well as electricity, is too expensive! We need the DOGE committee to review city expenses and reduce costs.
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RFA management has not been fiscally prudent. A $1200 tax increase on a million$ home, given our escalated housing values, is an onerous expense and not affordable for those on fixed incomes. Edmonds taxpayers should not be supporting the mismanagement of the RFA.