Chehalis city and fire officials said there may be dire consequences should the proposed renewal of the city’s emergency medical services levy fail in the general election starting Friday.

    City Manager Merlin MacReynold said the whole city has seen cuts of as much as 30 percent over the past year, but that the fire department could see layoffs in 2010 on top of furlough days they’ve already taken if it doesn’t pass.

    “These are tough times, there’s no doubt about it,” MacReynold said Wednesday. “People are concerned about tax change and increase. This isn’t an increase, though, the vote is to maintain a level of service that’s already there.”

    The measure proposes to continue the levy for six years — the last approved levy was 10 years — to tax 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. That money would go toward keeping valuable firefighter positions safe as well as repair and maintain emergency equipment, said Chehalis Fire Chief Kelvin Johnson.

    In 2008, the department fielded 1,228 emergency medical service calls, compared to 712 when the levy was last renewed in 1998, according to a department press release. That means the demand for service has continued to increase while staffing stays the same, MacReynold said.

    “Cuts will impact who is available to respond,” MacReynold said.

    A levy failure could mean the department has to cut an upwards of $200,000, and the money can’t be funneled from other struggling city departments, MacReynold said.

    Looking at the 2010 budget for the city, he estimates the loss could equal one or two firefighter positions in the department.

    Levies are nothing new in Washington, and there are 11 other fire departments that utilize emergency medical services levies in Lewis County alone.

    The measure needs a supermajority, or 60 percent of the vote, to pass. Ballots for the general election are being sent out on Friday. They must be postmarked or returned to the county auditor’s office by Nov. 3.

    Andy Campbell: (360) 807-8208