Endicott voters facing six tax levies

ENDICOTT— Town residents are being asked to support six levies in the Nov. 5 general election.

Mayor Dean Marty said the measures will not fund any major new projects.

The town is asking residents to support a $12,000 Fire and EMT Protection levy. If passed, residents will pay 47 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation. The funds will enable the town to pay for services from the local fire district.

The second proposition is a $30,000 levy for street work and maintenance, which will cost an estimated $1.14 or less per $1,000 of assessed valuation. If approved, these funds help pay for public works salaries, potholes and crack repairs, weed control, and snow plowing and sanding in the winter.

Voters are also being asked to support a $15,000 park maintenance levy, which will cost an estimated 57 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. These funds would help pay for public works salaries, moving, weed control, watering, mowing and equipment maintenance.

Fire District No. 6 is seeking voter support for a replacement maintenance and operations levy of $40,000, which will cost 38 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation for the next four years. The current levy expires at the end of the year.

The mayor said the levy has been ran for 15 years for the fire department, since its station is inside city limits.

In addition, Endicott Park and Recreation District No. 7 is proposing a tax levy of $65,000, which, if approved, would cost property owners an estimated 45 cent per $1,000 of assessed valuation. These funds would help pay for swimming pool maintenance, lifeguards, insurance uniforms and equipment for youth sports. It also pays for utilities including water, sewer, garbage, phone and electricity.

The last levy for Endicott voters is Cemetery District No. 4, which is seeking support for a $40,000 levy for general operations and maintenance costs. If approved, it will cost voters 40 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

Endicott isn’t the only community seeking support for levies.

Garfield -- Here, Whitman County (Garfield) Cemetery District No. 2 is asking voters to approve a $120,000, levy to defray costs of equipment, improve sprinklers and finance maintenance and operations of District and Silver Creek cemeteries.

The measure, if approved, will cost voters an estimated $1.12 or less per $1,000 of assessed property valuation.

The funds would help with sprinkler updates and installation, tree removal, columbarium development, resetting headstones, fertilizer, spraying, turf management and purchasing grounds equipment. Funds would also be earmarked for a website and digitizing burial records.

“The board will continue to implement steps to meet and exceed State regulations and expectations,” Linda Kildew said advocating for the levy.

Palouse -- The city is asking voters to support three tax propositions.

A proposed $55,000 excess property tax levy is on the ballot to fund maintenance and operations of city infrastructure. If approved, it will cost property owners an estimated 70.4 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

The city is also asking for support of a $50,000 levy to fund city pool and street maintenance. If approved, property owners would pay 66.4 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation.

The third levy here is also $50,000 to support 189,405 feet of unimproved roads. This measure, too, would collect a millage of 66.4 cents.

St. John -- In St. John, The town is asking voters to support two replacement levies in the Nov. 5 general election.

Voters are being asked to support an $80,000 street levy and a $60,000 water and sewer levy.

The first levy will collect an estimated $2 per $1,000 of assessed property value and the water and sewer levy will collect a millage of $1.50.

If both are approved, the owner of a $300,000 property will pay $1,050 annually beginning in 2025.

The street levy are expected to fund chip-sealing streets, replacing manholes covers, street sweeping and replacing culverts for stormwater drainage.

The water and sewer levy would fund maintenance and improvement of wells and water systems, along with replacing the sewer plant.