IDAHO — On Tuesday, voters in Middleton and Star decided on two $2.225 million levies to fund staff wages at the new fire station in Star.
The levies failed to achieve the supermajority required to approve the funding from voters in both Ada, Canyon and Gem County.
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"We need to do a levy increase. That's the only mechanism that we have to staff the new fire station," said Greg Timinsky, Fire Chief of The Middleton and Star Fire District.
Without approval from voters, the fire station will continue to sit empty.
Fire leaders said the 8% cap on budget growth declared by House Bill 389 has acted restrictively to cities like Star and Middleton, with city growth statistics citing a 22% yearly rate.
Until the fire district can get a levy approved, leaders say that they will be unable to employ and train new firefighters.
This is not the first time that voters haven't expressed their approval for the levy — Tuesday's vote marks the fourth time that the $2.225 million levy has failed to pass in all ounties
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