Bremerton measure to fund police, firefighters opposed by voters

A funding measure that would have added new police and firefighter positions in the city of Bremerton was trailing in initial returns from Tuesday's primary election.

The Bremerton public safety levy was opposed by approximately 53 percent of voters, or 2,478 in results released Tuesday night, while 47 percent, or 2,200, were in favor, according to the Kitsap County Auditor's Office. The percentages held steady when updated totals were announced on Wednesday afternoon.

The levy, Proposition 1, was forecast to raise more than $2.3 million annually through an increase in city property taxes of 40 cents per $1,000 in valuation, for a total rate of $1.87/$1,000. That would amount to an increase of $160 for a total city property tax payment around $750 each year on a $400,000 home, starting in 2024.

The city's police and fire departments proposed that the levy increase pay for the addition of eight firefighting positions, one administrative position and eight police positions, phased in during 2024 and 2025, in planning for the levy measure. Police Chief Tom Wolfe and Fire Chief Pat McGanney both cited increases in call volume for their agencies and more complex city needs as reasoning for additional front-line employees.

"We'll keep moving forward and doing the best we can," Bremerton Police Chief Tom Wolfe.

Wolfe said that after having as many as 10 vacancies on the department's staff over the past year, BPD has just four open positions now for its budgeted staff of 64. However, with a number of officer positions that has remained approximately constant for more than a decade despite the growth in city population, his department will continue working with city leaders to find ways to add resources for public safety.

"(People tell me) 'Hey, we want public safety, we want more public safety,'" Wolfe said. "Finding other creative ways to come up with funding is what we need to make happen."

Election results will be updated this week, and the totals are expected to be certified on Aug. 15.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Bremerton levy vote opposed to tax increase for police, fire