Voters in Federal Way and Des Moines will be asked this November to approve a South King Fire and Rescue levy aimed at funding the local fire department’s services for the next four years.

The levy, which will collect $2.75 million per year for the department from 2017-2020, would replace the expiring $3.5 million per year levy approved by voters in 2012. It would allow the fire department taxing district to collect funds via a property tax of $0.19 per $1,000 of a property’s assessed valuation in the first year, a rate less than the $0.29 per $1,000 associated with the previous levy.

The $0.19 per $1,000 rate is projected to fall by $0.01 per year as property values appreciate.

“The proposition is a renewal at a lesser amount than the levy approved in 2012… and is presented to allow voters the opportunity to maintain current fire department services and personnel,” reads the explanatory statement submitted to the King County Elections Department. “The levy rate may decrease (below $0.19) in 2018, 2019 and 2020 if assessed values increase substantially in those years.”

According to that statement, the fire department taxing district has seen its annual revenue decline by about 30 percent since 2009, a decrease attributed to the Great Recession and its negative impact on property values.

“We’re hoping this will be the last (levy) we’ll have to do,” said fire department Chief Al Church in an interview. “We live and die on assessed values, so we’re hoping they get back up to 2009 levels. This fills the gap.”

Department representatives say the funds lost since 2009 have resulted in 23 vacant positions, including 13 firefighter positions not filled following natural attrition, and “severe cutbacks” to service levels and public education and outreach programs. Property values and the funds they generate have risen from their lowest point but have yet to recover completely.

“It’s slowly come back up but, we’re still about 13 percent behind where we were in 2009,” Church said.

No opposition groups have formed to encourage a “No” vote on the levy and no opposition statement appears in King County’s voter’s guide. Church said it’s the first time in seven years he’s seen that happen.

The levy will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot as South King Fire and Rescue – Proposition No. 1, which is officially titled “Levy of General Tax $2,750,000 for Maintenance and Operations.”

Like other levies in Washington state, this one will require approval from 60 percent of voters to pass (at least 6,347 yes votes with a minimum turnout of 10,578 voters).