Voters give enthusiastic nod to East Jefferson Fire Rescue ballot measures

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Two property tax levies to support East Jefferson Fire Rescue had an approval rate above 50 percent during the first vote tally in the February 2023 Special Election.

The initial ballot count was conducted after voting stopped at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Jefferson County Fire Protection District No. 1, the junior taxing district for East Jefferson Fire Rescue, had placed two proposals on the ballot.

Proposition 1 was for a regular property tax levy of $1.30 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Proposition 2 would restore the fire department's Emergency Medical Services regular property tax levy.

In the initial vote count, Prop. 1 had 69.37 percent of all ballots cast. The "no" vote garnered 30.63 percent.

Prop. 2 had 74 percent of all ballots cast. There were 26 percent cast in opposition.

The vote tally for Prop. 1 was 6,762 ballots for, and 2,986 ballots against.

The vote count for Prop. 2 was 7,228 ballots for, and 2,540 ballots against.

The owner of a $500,000 home would pay a total of $605 this year under the current combined taxes, and $900 in 2024 if both measures pass.

“We appreciate everyone’s time and energy that’s been put forth to support the services we provide to our community,” East Jefferson Fire Chief Bret Black said before the first count.

“Right now it's too early to say more,” he added.

Black acknowledged his reluctance to offer any reaction to Tuesday's tally.

“I don’t like to have a decisive expression of either relief or stress based off of what we hear tonight,” Black said.

A total of 9,748 ballots were counted by county election voters for Prop. 1, and 9,768 ballots were counted for Prop. 2.