IDAHO — Voters in the Star and Middleton fire districts have approved two separate temporary levies, according to early election night results, giving the departments new funding tools as they face rapid population growth and rising emergency calls across Ada, Canyon and Gem counties.
The Middleton Rural Fire District Temporary Levy passed with about 52% support, while the Star Fire Protection District Temporary Levy also cleared the simple majority threshold, according to early returns Tuesday night.
Both districts operate under a shared administrative structure known as MidStar Fire, a partnership formed in 2019 that combines leadership and support staff across the agencies. Officials say the collaboration has produced significant cost savings in recent years while allowing more resources to be directed toward frontline response.
In recent years, officials have reported roughly 3,000 annual emergency calls, a number that continues to grow as development expands west of the Boise metro area.
Fire leaders have said that growth has strained response times and staffing levels, even as the districts have worked to streamline operations through shared leadership and joint administration.
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Fire Chief Greg Timinsky has previously pointed to incidents in which simultaneous calls left parts of the district temporarily without immediate coverage, including a large barn fire that required mutual aid from several surrounding agencies.
Supporters of the levy said the funding was necessary to ensure adequate emergency response and staffing levels, while some residents questioned whether a temporary levy was the best long-term solution for sustained fire protection needs.
