Emergency services in our district are funded through two primary sources.

• Fire Levy: A tax based on a property’s assessed value.
• Fire Benefit Charge: An assessment based on a structure’s size, use, and risk. Smaller properties, such as homes, pay less than larger, higher-risk structures like commercial buildings.

In 2025, property owners served by WF&R pay*:

• Fire Levy Rate: $0.52 per $1,000 of assessed property value
• Fire Benefit Charge: A 3,000 square foot home (considered average) is paying $316.30

*Seniors, disabled persons, exempt properties, and low-income households maintain any current tax exemptions they have through King County. Property owners can also appeal their fire benefit charge assessment each year if they believe it is incorrect.

• Why a Fire Benefit Charge? A fire benefit charge creates a stable and fair way to fund emergency services. Property taxes are based on the assessed value of your home and land. This means that two houses of the same size can pay different amounts depending on the assessed value as determined by the King County Assessor’s Office.With a fire benefit charge, the fire levy is reduced by $0.50 per $1,000 and two houses of equal size pay the same amount for the fire benefit charge regardless of their assessed value. The fire benefit charge is an assessment based on a structure’s size, use and risk. Smaller buildings, such as residential homes, pay less than higher-risk properties, such as large commercial or industrial buildings.This model diversifies funding and ensures continued reliable response times and high-quality emergency services. This is why more than two dozen Washington communities utilize a fire benefit charge.