What is annexation?
Currently, fire and EMS service is provided to the Town of Fairfield by Spokane County Fire District 2 by contract. Basically, the town is a customer paying the district for services that the district provides. If annexation is approved, the need to maintain a contract between the town and district will be eliminated.
What will change with annexation?
- The hassle and costs associated with maintaining a contract will be eliminated for both the town and district.
- Residents of the Town of Fairfield will be able to vote directly in fire district commissioner elections and on fire district levees (they currently cannot).
- Residents of the Town of Fairfield can run for the position of fire district commissioner (they currently cannot).
- If approved by the Town of Fairfield City Council, taxation for fire and EMS services will shift from the Town of Fairfield to Spokane County Fire District 2. For residents of the town of Fairfield, it is expected that fire and EMS taxes would change from the current $1.0454 per $1000 assessed value to $1.0828 per $1000 assessed value. This means that a home with an assessed value of $250,000 would pay $9.35 more per year for fire and EMS services. Taxes for residents of the fire district outside the city limits will not change.
- Spokane County Fire District 2’s annual revenue will increase by an estimated $30,154.68 due to this change in taxes.
Who votes on annexation?
Annexation must be approved by both the residents of the Town of Fairfield and residents of the fire district outside the city limits.
The vote on annexation will occur during the special election to be held on February 13, 2024.
Questions can be submitted to our contact form or by calling Eric Olson at 509-714-6701 or Devin Billington at 509-995-4059.