Public Information

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Election Date: August 19, 2008

Pierce County Fire District 13 Submitting Measure: Proposition 1

Contact Name: Gary McVay, Fire Chief

Contact Phone Number: 253-952-4776

Pierce County Fire District 13 is placing a lid lift proposition on the August ballot. This proposition would restore the property tax levy rate to $1.00 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for 2009. The proposition is presented to allow voters to override the limitation imposed by Initiative 747, which would otherwise limit total property tax revenue to 101% of the previous year’s revenue, regardless of the authorized dollar rate limitation of $1.00, which voters previously approved.

This proposition may be referred to as a “permanent” lid lift, which means that the 2009 levy dollar amount will be used for computing the limitations for subsequent levies.

This proposition meets the requirement of Initiative 747, that any revenue increase greater than 1%, over the previous year, be approved by the voters.

Approval of this proposition would allow maintaining the current level of services. Rejection of this proposition would lead to the loss of nearly $224,532 annually in projected tax revenues seriously impacting the infrastructure of Pierce County Fire District 13.

Explanatory Statement Prepared By: Joseph F. Quinn