Kootenai County fire department seeks first-ever levy

KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — Kootenai County voters will decide on a $6 million levy next month for Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. It is the first time in the department’s history it has asked for a levy.

As the community continues to grow, so do the number of calls coming in to Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. With its current budget, it no longer has enough money to keep up.

These growing pains impact everything from emergency response times to the number of firefighters and paramedics the department needs. Kootenai Fire says inflation has increased their costs as well.

“With the growth and with inflation, we’re finding ourselves in a very difficult financial situation,” said Mitchell Copstead of Kootenai County Fire and Rescue.

Right now, Idaho law limits annual budget growth to 3 percent, which the fire department says is not enough. That’s why they’re asking voters to pass a levy in November.

Firefighters say if it passes, they would be able to maintain the current level of service and prepare for future growth.

“We’ve done everything we can to cut our budget without sacrificing service. But now we’re at a position where we have to ask the voters what they would like us to do,” Copstead said.

If passed, the levy would cost homeowners about $44 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value per year. The median home price in the county is around $550,000. Those homeowners would pay about $20 more per month to fund the levy.

“Our budgets not adjusting like it used to, which I think is part of the reason. Right. Which could be the reason that you’re seeing more fire districts asking for levy overrides,” Copstead said.

Last year, voters approved a bond for the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department and a levy for Northern Lakes Fire District. This will be the first time that Kootenai Fire has a levy on the ballot.

Kootenai County Fire and Rescue says if this levy does not pass, it would mean a reduction in services.