Regionalization is a good concept, BUT the current design for the RFA is fatally flawed.
Regionalization of governmental functions makes sense if carefully designed to achieve enhanced functionality, economies of scale, and when there is clear accountability to the public for both performance and cost. Unfortunately the current design for the Regional Fire Authority misses the mark for each of these criteria.
What is being presented to us for our approval is like a luxury automobile built without concern for cost, performance, safety standards, fuel economy standards or any accountability to the buyer.
I believe this proposal should be defeated and that we should go back to the drawing board and design something that specifically focuses on performance standards, cost effectiveness and includes clear accountability to the public. I believe the City of Lacey should be brought into this redesign process as well.
~ Al Ewing, Olympia
The opinions above are, of course, those of the writer and not of The JOLT. Got something you want to get off your chest? Post your comment below, or write it up and send it to us. We'll likely run it the same day we get it.
Editor's Note: To see the March 29, 2023, debate between proponents and opponents of Proposition 1, please click here.
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Larry Dzieza
Well written opinion.
Saturday, April 8, 2023 Report this
JW
The vote no campaign implicitly implies through their narrative that your local fire department personnel who support the RFA are either too ignorant to know what Proposition 1 is about or are actively attempting to deceive the voters. Don't buy into their scare tactics, Al.
Saturday, April 8, 2023 Report this
BevBassett
If this big mistake is implemented, there's no going back. We can never get back what we have now and what has served us well for 100 years.
Saturday, April 8, 2023 Report this
jimlazar
Al has it right: it would be possible to design a GOOD regional approach to fire and emergency medical service, but Proposition 1 is not that.
It is simply a way to raise salaries for existing people to do what they already do, with little accountability. Starting with the top six brass of the RFA, who will make a quarter-million dollars each (including benefit).
Special purpose government agencies are a place to hide from the voters. How many of us have ever studied the budget for LOTT, Medic One, Intercity Transit, or even Animal Services, four examples of "regional" agencies?
Bev Bassett also has it right: our local fire departments have served us well for over 100 years. If we dissolve them and give away all of their stations, fire engines, and transfer all of their personnel, there is no going back when the RFA experiment fails -- as it just did in Rochester/Littlerock. That RFA lost the support of the voters (mostly because they replaced volunteers with highly-paid full-time firefighters), and when the voters did not approve renewal of their levy, two of the five fire stations had to be closed. I don't want that risk in Olympia.
Big new fees. No new services. Vote No. Keep your fire service local.
Friday, April 14, 2023 Report this