PARMA, Idaho — Voters approved a temporary $2 million levy for the Parma Rural Fire Protection District, with 52.53% voting in favor and 47.47% opposed.
The measure received 841 votes in favor and 760 against, meeting the simple majority needed to pass.
The two-year levy will provide an additional $1 million annually in 2027 and 2028 to help the district address staffing shortages, improve facilities and replace aging fire equipment.
If approved, the levy was estimated to cost property owners $91.06 per year for every $100,000 of taxable assessed property value.
Fire Chief Joe Rodgers previously told Idaho News 6 that the district has struggled to retain firefighters and emergency medical technicians because of competition from higher-paying employers.
READ MORE | ‘We’re just trying to be competitive’: Parma fire district seeks funding for staffing, equipment
The department typically operates with four employees on duty each day. Additional funding could allow the district to increase daily staffing to five, with three firefighters on an engine and two on an ambulance.
The levy would also help fund station improvements and the eventual replacement of aging fire trucks, including one dating back to 1996.
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