South Kitsap Fire and Rescue will ask voters this spring to renew the current emergency medical services levy for another six years.

On Jan. 22, SKFR fire commissioners approved a resolution to place an EMS measure on the April 28 ballot, along with a similar measure from the Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue.

The current levy, which expires Dec. 31, is 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation annually for South Kitsap property owners. The EMS levy covers for staffing paramedics and emergency medical technicians, equipment and supplies.

“We are having to put it back our there because it provides a component of our funding,” said SKFR Fire Chief Steve Wright. “It’s at 50 cents and we are asking to keep it at 50 cents for the next six years.”

He said the EMS levy measure in 2009 passed by a large margin.

“It has always been highly supported,” Wright said.

He noted that in past elections, levies required a super majority or two-thirds vote.

“State laws have change on levies, it’s now a simple a majority,” said the fire chief.

Wright said since 1976, community has grown in value and the assessed valued has increased. But since the recession, he said the assessed value is lower than in 2008.

“I hope the assessed value goes up over the next six years,” he said.

Wright said when state voters pass I-747, it capped the EMS levy at one percent.

“They want to have a say on anything that is going to be more than one percent,” he said. “That one percent doesn’t keep up with inflation in a lot of cases.”

Wright said the EMS levy is 25 percent of the district’s tax collection.

“Seventy percent of our work is medical emergencies,” he said. “Everyone of us knows they could have a health issue in five minutes, be involved in a car accident or their kids get hurt.”

With the $1.50 fire levy and 50 cent EMS levy, the owner of a $200,000 home would play $400 a year for SKFR services.

Wright said the EMS levy would create about $3.5 million per year.

“It is a big piece of our $15 million budget,” he said. “We provide as much services with the pot of money we receive. We do the best we can with the money we are entrusted with and provide a good level of service.”

Wright said SKFR’s coverage has 72,000 residents in a 117-square mile area and his agency responded to 9,069 calls last year.

Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue responded to about 8,000 calls in 2014, added Wright.