Tax bill ‘clerical error’ leaves West Richland fire district $500,000 in the red

The fire district that covers West Richland is scrambling to deal with a $500,000 shortfall after the county failed to collect the tax approved by voters last fall.

Benton Fire District 4 voters agreed to the levy lift lid in August but it was left off property tax bills.

Chief Paul Carlyle said the fire district submitted the needed paperwork to the county and included the extra money in its 2023 budget, which was required to be completed in November 2022.

But a county “clerical error” kept the extra money from being billed for 2023, said the fire district.

“We are transparent and accountable to our taxpayers and they need to know what is going on here. It’s unacceptable,” Carlyle said.

The fire district had already hired three firefighter paramedics to staff an additional emergency unit that it intended to pay for with the additional money and had signed a contract for remodeling work on its Bombing Range Road fire station in West Richland when the error was discovered, Carlyle said.

“We promised our community that these projects would be completed if the lid lift was approved, Carlyle said. “The county assessor ‘forgot’ to increase the EMS levy to the amount voters approved in the 2022 election.”

County Assessor Bill Spencer did not immediately respond to a Tri-City Herald request for comment on the issue.

The fire district shifted money around to continue to employ the three new hires and pay for contracted remodeling.

That will mean it is not able to immediately buy a staff vehicle as planned and may have to also delay buying a truck for fighting grass fires.

The district also is being as frugal as possible with expenses.

The approved annual levy collection of about $500,000 will start to be collected in 2024. Voters approved a six-year levy lift.

But it remains unclear whether at least some of the money not collected this year can also be collected on future property tax bills.

Benton Fire District 4 asked voters for the additional money to increase the number of staff as the fire district gets more calls for emergency aid at the same time.

EMS calls account for 65% of all emergency calls.

Benton Fire District 4 is a combination department that relies on full-time, part-time and volunteer firefighters to respond to emergency calls.

The remodel of the fire station at 2604 Bombing Range Road in West Richland will be the first time the building has been improved since it was built in 1996. An upgraded radio system is among the needed changes.

In August the levy lid lift passed 57% to 43%, with 5,991 votes cast.

When it starts, it will cost owners of a $300,000 home an additional $45 this year.