Frequently Asked Questions

A Mill Levy is a way for local governments and fire departments to fund essential services through property taxes. The levy sets a tax rate based on the assessed value of a property. This funding helps fire departments like West Valley Fire & Rescue maintain equipment, train firefighters, and provide emergency services to the community.

West Valley Fire & Rescue relies on the Mill Levy to keep up with the growing needs of our community. As call volumes increase and equipment ages, we need stable funding to ensure we can respond quickly and effectively when you need us most. The Mill Levy helps us maintain and upgrade essential gear, train our firefighters, and keep our operations running smoothly. Without it, providing the same level of service would become much more challenging. This isn’t about extras—it’s about making sure we have the resources to protect lives and property when emergencies happen. 

Yes, the last Mill Levy was passed in 2006. Since then, the community has grown, costs have increased, and emergency call volumes have risen. This new Mill Levy is necessary to ensure we can continue meeting the needs of the people we serve.

The Mill Levy on the May 6th Ballot would raise West Valley Fire's budget by $262,825.57 allowing us to upgrade essential gear, As well as hiring staff. 

 The proposed Mill Levy would be an increase of 10 Mills. That equals out to an increase of about $13.50 for a $100,000 property, $40.50 for a $300,000 property, and $81.00 for a $600,000 property. This funding would be essential for us to continue to provide safe and effective protection for our district. 

If the mill levy we are asking for fails to pass our operations of West Valley Fire and Rescue will continue as they have been with constant improvement. The biggest hurdle we will face if the mill levy fails is the ability to replace an aging fleet, purchase new gear, and/or hire full time paid staff. As of current we do budget for all of these things but the mill levy will help us in reaching our goal(s) of hired staff, replacement apparatus and equipment.

The best way to support the Mill Levy is to help spread the word. Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors about why it matters and how it helps our fire department serve the community. Share facts, ask questions, and encourage others to learn more. You can also follow our department’s updates to stay informed. And of course, the most important thing—make sure you’re registered to vote and have your say when the time comes. Your support makes a real difference in keeping our emergency services strong.