Voters in Lane County will once again decide the future funding of South Lane County Fire and Rescue, as officials place a revised levy measure on the May primary ballot in an effort to address growing staffing needs.
The proposed measure comes after a similar funding request failed during a special election in November. Fire officials say the need has only intensified since then, with emergency call volumes steadily rising while staffing levels have remained unchanged for over a decade.
According to the department, crews are now responding to more than five additional calls per day compared to when the levy was last updated in 2012. Without added personnel, officials warn the system is nearing a breaking point.
If approved, Measure 20-383 would double the current property tax rate from $0.47 to $0.94 per $1,000 of assessed property value. For homeowners in areas like Creswell and Cottage Grove, that would mean an estimated increase of about $93 per year for a median-priced home.
The department says the additional funding would generate roughly $2.5 million annually over the next five years — nearly $13 million in total — and would be used exclusively to hire more firefighters. Officials estimate the increase would allow for three additional crew members per shift, significantly improving emergency response capacity.
Fire leaders stress that the funding is not intended for raises, equipment, or infrastructure, but strictly to ensure enough personnel are available to respond to emergencies.
Ahead of the May 19 election, the department plans to host community open houses to provide more information and answer questions from residents.
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