On Nov. 4, Blaine County voters will be asked to decide on an $835,000 override levy, known as Proposition 2, that would provide funding for Blaine County's emergency dispatch system.
Before voting, Ketchum and Sun Valley citizens need to be aware of how this tax increase would be spread throughout Blaine County.
When a Blaine County dispatcher places an emergency call anywhere within the county, the cost is essentially the same. According to information provided by the county, the approximate cost per call for emergency dispatch is $22.50. However, Proposition 2 will not base its assessments on the number of calls. Rather, the proposed levy will be spread throughout the county based on property value.
Due to higher property values in the northern end of the county, allocation of the tax increase becomes skewed. For example, while taxpayers in Bellevue and Hailey can expect to pay $9.38 and $8.64 per call, respectively, Sun Valley and Ketchum taxpayers will be asked to pay $48.65 and $28.12 per call, respectively, for the same service.
Before approving this tax increase, voters may want to ask Blaine County officials to explore an alternate funding plan under which local communities simply pay for dispatch services based on the number of calls originating in each community. If it only costs about $22.50 to make an emergency call, it only makes sense that the county would charge that rate to all, regardless of local geography.
Randy Hall
Mayor, Ketchum
Wayne Willich
Mayor, Sun Valley
