Voters OK Graham Fire levy

Voters are saying yes to Graham Fire and Rescue’s request for taxpayers’ dollars to pay for people and equipment to help keep the public safe.

In voting that concluded Tuesday, the fire district’s maintenance and operations levy was passing relatively comfortably. with 65 percent (5.844 votes in favor) It needed at least 1,866 yes votes and a 60 percent favorable vote overall, and it got 5,844 and 65 percent.

Pierce County election officials reported 25 percent of the 36,867 registered voters in the district cast ballots.

According to the district, the levy will generate $17 million over a four-year period to help meet the cost of personnel and equipment. Supporters say the funding is necessary for fire protection and emergency medical services to keep up with a 19 percent increase in the last 10 years of the number of people living in the fire district’s service area, now home to about 60,000 people.  

The approximately $4.3 million per year collected from 2019 to 2022 is to be spent on hiring more firefighters and buying new fire trucks and medical aid vehicles.