Voters deny Fire District No. 3 levy

More than 60 percent voted against Prop. 1

QUINCY - The results show voters saying no to Grant County Fire District No. 3.

According to the Grant County Web site, 650 citizens voted no on the Emergency Medical Services levy (Proposition 1) while 416 voted yes.

"Obviously we're disappointed in the results," Fire Chief Don Fortier said.

The program will face some deep cuts.

At this point he is unsure where the cuts will go, so he plans to meet with the Grant County Board of Commissioners for direction.

"It's a significant amount to our budget," he said. "We'll have to make some cuts."

If the levy would have passed, the department would have received more than $120,000 per year for the next six years.

There is a possibility the proposition may be presented to voters again in the near future, he added.

"Our funding is in place until the end of the year," Fortier said.

Citizens will not see cut backs in services until 2008.

The department has a coverage area of 503 miles, one of the largest coverage areas in Washington, he said. More than 15,000 people are served in areas including Quincy Valley, Winchester, Sunland Estates, Low Gap and George.