Bellingham’s Proposed Regional Fire Authority: What Taxpayers Should Know
Bellingham residents may soon be asked to consider a significant change in how fire protection and emergency medical services are funded and delivered to residents and businesses in the city.
The City of Bellingham and Whatcom County Fire District 8 are developing a proposal to create a Regional Fire Authority (RFA), a separate public agency with its own governing board, taxing authority, and dedicated funding.
A public hearing was held earlier this month, and the proposal is approaching a key decision. The Bellingham City Council is scheduled to consider advancing the plan to voters on November 2, with a potential special election in February 2027. See below on how to participate to voice your thoughts.
What would change?
Under the draft proposal, funding would include a property tax levy of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value, plus a separate fire benefit charge calculated using factors such as building size, use and risk. This could result in an additional substantial expense to businesses.
For a property assessed at $600,000, the proposed levy would equal $600 annually before the additional benefit charge. The actual net increase would depend on whether existing city taxes are reduced or eliminated due to this shift in cost from the City’s budget.
City officials have recently outlined potential reductions to existing property, utility and business taxes. However, these reductions would benefit taxpayers differently and may offset only a portion of the new RFA charges paid by individual homeowners.
City officials have identified budget pressures as one reason for pursuing the proposal. Moving fire services to a separately funded authority could free existing city revenue for their other municipal priorities.
What can we learn from other Washington communities?
Regional Fire Authorities already operate throughout Washington, including in Whatcom County. Examples include South Whatcom Fire Authority, South County Fire in Snohomish County, Renton Regional Fire Authority, and the Camas-Washougal Regional Fire Authority.
Some communities have approved the model, while voters in Olympia and Tumwater rejected a similar proposal in 2023.
In other Washington communities that have passed an RFA, proposed reductions to existing city taxes have not always been sufficient to offset the additional costs to homeowners/businesses and in fact some have seen significant tax increases being passed when a tax reduction was promised. While those estimates do not establish the long-term outcomes of operating RFAs, they demonstrate why the total financial impact deserves careful examination.
These experiences raise important questions about total taxpayer costs, operational efficiency, emergency response performance and public accountability.
Before voters are asked to decide, several questions remain:
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How would total taxes change for homeowners and businesses?
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Will measurable service improvements be made or maintained under this model?
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What operational savings or efficiencies would consolidation produce?
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How would the new authority report spending and performance?
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Does this change create savings for the city or opportunity for new spending?
Understanding the full financial picture matters. A change in how government services are funded is not necessarily a reduction in what those services cost taxpayers.
Monday, November 2: Two Important Opportunities for Public Input
The Bellingham City Council will consider the RFA proposal and hold a public hearing on the proposed 2027 city budget during its November 2 evening meeting. These issues are closely connected because shifting fire-service funding to a separate authority could free city revenue for other priorities.
Regional Fire Authority Proposal (Agenda Bill 25120): Councilmembers will consider whether to approve the proposed RFA plan and advance it to voters. Residents may wish to ask how total taxes would change for homeowners and businesses, whether consolidation would produce measurable savings or service improvements, and how the new authority would report spending and performance.
Review the RFA Planning Committee materials for details about the proposal.
2027 City Budget Public Hearing (Agenda Bill 25108): The Council will also hold its second public hearing on the proposed 2027 city budget. This provides an opportunity to ask how the city’s spending priorities, projected deficits and potential tax reductions relate to the RFA proposal, and what budget changes may be necessary if voters do not approve it.
Review the proposed 2027 City Budget before the hearing.
How to Participate
Date: Monday, November 2, 2026, at 7 p.m.
Location: Bellingham City Hall, Council Chambers, 210 Lottie Street
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Public comments may be provided in person or remotely via Zoom. Advance registration is required before 7 p.m.
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Residents may also email all seven City Council members: Hannah Stone, Hollie Huthman, Dan Hammill, Edwin “Skip” Williams, Lisa Anderson, Michael Lilliquist, and Jace Cotton. Email: ccmail@cob.org
Changes to how essential public services are funded deserve careful consideration. Understanding the city’s spending priorities, the full cost to taxpayers and the potential impact on emergency services is important before decisions are made.