As a result of the 2022 ILA between the Shoreline and Northshore Fire Departments all administrative and operational functions are _already consolidated resulting in annual cost savings of $1,400,000 per year and new ongoing non-tax revenues from patient transport payments of $1,075,000 in 2024.

The two workforces have been combined under a single administration.

• There is a single organizational culture, a single set of policies and training.
• Firefighters are represented by a single IAFF labor union and work under a single negotiated labor agreement.
• One ‘Shoreline Fire Department’ logo.

A Peak Hours Aid unit, stationed at Lake Forest Park, was added in 2024.

References

The following slides from Shoreline Fire Chief Matt Cowan's RFA presentation expound on the gains that have already been made under the current contract for services.

The Shoreline and Kenmore communities both incorporated as cities because King County was providing a single standard of service for all of King County. The county standard did not meet the communities' needs. The formation of the cities brought local control that matched services with needs and assured that the costs were in sync with the benefits. Local leaders were now accountable for the results. Why would we go back to a single standard of service now?

The RFA results in loss of accountability

The existing contract for fire service (ILA):

• Requires specific service delivery at a specific cost
• Lets local communities tailor services to match their needs.
• Requires quality performance
• Can be modified to address new needs or concerns
• Provides for resolution of disputes
• Allows for competitive service providers at contract renewal
• Incentivizes a high level of employee performance (A satisfied customer remains while a dissatisfied customer may leave.)

Under an RFA all of these performance guarantees will be lost.

There are no performance requirements or metrics under the RFA.

The RFA reduces local control

Now, each fire district's Board of Commissioners is elected by the voters in that district. We are represented by Fire Commissioners who live here. They tailor services to our community needs.

Today there is equity. Each community is assured it receives the services it desires, pays for the services it receives, and collects the revenue generated from its taxpayers.

We own our Fire Stations, Fire Engines, Aid Cars, and Reserve Funds.

Under the RFA, there will be only a single Board of Commissioners.

The RFA will result in loss of flexibility

Our communities are different and have different service needs:

• Shoreline is a fast-growing community with a large percentage of commercial multi-family /multi-story buildings. This area has a much higher call demand. I-5, SR 99, and Sound Transit are key drivers of growth for call demand.

• The Northshore Fire District serves Lake Forest Park and Kenmore. These communities are growing more slowly and consist mostly of single-family neighborhoods with low-rise apartments and condos. Call demand is relatively low and stable.

As things stand, each district can set its own service levels and tax rates.

Shoreline imposes a fire mitigation fee for new construction. This helps pay for new capital projects. These funds are needed to support a fast-growing demand for fire responses. Shoreline mitigation fees can only be used for capital projects within the City of Shoreline.

A Northshore Fire District focus is encouraging fire sprinkler systems in all new construction. This program provides incentives for upgrading existing buildings: a 50% discount of the ‘Fire Fee’ (Fire Benefit Charge) is granted to the owners of structures with fire sprinkler systems. The principle is that ‘Nobody dies is a sprinklered building’ and a sprinklered building requires fewer fire department resources as fires are typically limited to a single room.

Shoreline provides a 10% ‘Fire Fee’ discount for sprinklered buildings.

References

Here is some data from the King County Assessor's Localscape website that illustrate the differences between regions:

Proponents of the RFA tout a $0.70 levy rate in 2025, however the RFA, should it pass, raises the levy rate to $1.00 in 2026! See the proof below.

The Fire Department did not include this information in the Proposition 1 Ballot measure text they submitted to King County Elections. New legally required language was added by King County Prosecutor’s Office describing the Levy increase to $1.00 in 2026¹:

This proposition would approve the Plan to create the Shoreline Fire Department RFA to provide fire protection and emergency medical services funded by a property tax of $.70 per thousand of assessed value in 2025 (not to exceed $1.00 per thousand in subsequent years) and a six-year fire benefit charge (not to exceed 60% of the operating budget)². The funding would replace the current property tax levies and fire benefit charges collected by the Districts.

The Fire Department Administration and Fire Commissioners wrote the ‘RFA Plan’. They knew about the hidden tax increase but did not disclose this important information.

The increased levy authority is clearly written in the Regional Fire Authority Plan³:

In August of 2024 Northshore Fire District voters authorized an increase of the Levy rate to $.70 per $1,000 AV. Voters certainly did not know the RFA Plan would increase the Levy again in just a few months.

The Advertised Tax Decreases Are Not Real

The Promised Tax Decreases are achieved by spending down $3,000,000 of General and Reserve Funds.

Smaller impact by adjusting the Benefit Charge ‘Factors’

• Shifting more of the tax burden to commercial and multi-family buildings. This can all be done without creating an RFA.

Unrealistic & Optimistic Inflation Estimates

• Fire Operations inflation increase is estimated at 6% per year but tax increases are estimated to be only 1% per year. 
• Who really believes that is sustainable?

There are no real cost savings from merging the NFD and SHFD Boards of Fire Commissioners.

• Eliminating the NFD Board results in a potential savings of  $14,000 - $20,000, however...
• Fire Commissioner Meeting attendance will double, adding $19,000 in commissioner per diem expense⁴.

The RFA provides no advantage over the current consolidated department.

The Fire Department FAQ claims:

Enhanced Emergency Services

• Faster, more effective responses through better coordination and resource sharing.
• Improved technical rescue capabilities in Shoreline, Kenmore and Lake Forest Park.
• Flexible deployment of fire trucks and aid cars based on need.
• Continued firefighter collaboration ensures seamless operations and improved service delivery.

However:

• Response times will not improve. There are no added fire stations, fire engines, aid cars, or firefighters. Without additional resources, response times remain the same. That is reality.
• Technical Rescue improvements have already been made.
• A new NFD Rescue Truck is on order.
• “Flexible deployment” simply means a resource is moved from one community to subsidize another. (Lake Forest Park likely loses its peak hour aid car.)
• Firefighter collaboration should be today's standard. Why don’t we have it now?

The Claim of Taxpayer Savings is False

The Fire Department claims:

Significant Taxpayer Savings

• $196,000 in annual administrative savings and over $3 million in reduced redundancies by 2026.
• Savings for 100% of homeowners and 98% of property owners in the Fire District.
• Preserves Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau Class 2 rating leading to insurance savings and lower levy rates.

However:

• The $196,000 in ‘administrative savings’ refers to the elimination of the Northshore Fire Board of Commissioners. The reality is that there are at best only a few thousand dollars of savings. Most costs continue with the RFA.
• The "redundancies" being reduced are General Fund and Reserve Fund balances. This will not result in ongoing tax reduction. Reducing reserves by $3,000,000 is a risky practice. (Besides, there is nothing under the current system that stops the boards from reducing the reserve fund goals, should they decide to do so.)
• There is no risk of losing the WSRB fire insurance rating. The WSRB rating is a function of the fire departments’ resources, training, and preparedness, and the water districts' fire hydrant flow. The improved WSRB rating was achieved after the ILA consolidation — the RFA would not change that.

What Does Any of This Mean?

The FAQ Continues:

Sustainability and Growth

• Shared resources provide sustainable services, protect property values, and diversify revenue.
• Strengthened grant opportunities for enhancements like a fire/rescue boat for Lake Washington.

Community Representation and Streamlined Management

• Balanced governance with five board members from both Northshore and Shoreline ensures local control.
• Streamlined administration eliminates duplication, enabling more efficient resource management.

However:

• We already have "shared resources". This was accomplished via the Shoreline/Northshore Contract for Fire Services (ILA) in 2022.
• We already have diversified revenue streams (i.e. patient transport fees).
• We have guaranteed local governance today. (See Local Control.) The RFA only puts that at risk.
• There is no duplication, just accountability with the fire services contract (ILA).

Reconstituting the previous Fire District governance, finance and operations is hugely problematic

• Today each fire district owns it own apparatus, equipment, facilities, and reserve funds. Under the RFA district ownership would disappear. Sorting ownership back to individual districts would be very complicated.

• Local fire district commissioner positions would have to be recreated.

• There would be no local fire district employees. They would all be RFA employees.

The Contract for Service Model Provides Alternatives

• The contract for fire services provides alternatives. With proper notice, either partner can choose to pursue a different service provider model.

• The contract for fire services has terms that require specific service levels and cost oversight.

• The contract for fire services has dispute resolution terms.

• The Fire District governance, asset ownership, and revenue structure remain in place.

All surrounding fire agencies cooperate as part of a mutual aid pack, responding to calls as a team. The RFA can not improve upon that.

Regional partners are unlikely to join the RFA. Cities clearly prefer a contract-for-services model where they can assure their community receives services tailored to their needs and where costs can be monitored and controlled.

Chief Cowan told the Lake Forest Park and Shoreline city councils that he expects RFA Fire Commissioner positions to be reduced over time. This is contrary to the promise of five commissioners elected from Shoreline and five elected from Northshore.

NO citizens were involved in designing the RFA Governance Plan — only Shoreline Fire Administration, firefighters, and the Fire Commissioners.

Note Seven of the ten Fire Commissioners have connections to the Fire Service. Two are active IAFF Firefighters: one a Kirkland FF Captain, one a Lacey Paramedic. Three are past Shoreline Fire Department Firefighters. Two are the spouses of retired Shoreline Fire Department Chiefs.

We are not disparaging these individuals, but we believe there is an inherent bias that makes it difficult for them to see the issue from a civilian, citizen,and taxpayer point of view.

The bottom line is that there is no good reason to vote for the RFA.