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Chief reflects on failed Star, Middleton fire district levies

Greg Timinsky said going to the voters was their only option after the state hamstrung finances in 2021.

STAR, Idaho — Two fire districts in southern Idaho are going back to the drawing board after their levies failed in the election. 

"It's nerve wracking to not understand why we can't get the information out to the people that that need to see it," said Greg Timinsky, Star Fire Protection District and Middleton Rual Fire District chief. 

This is the second time the districts' proposed permanent levies failed to get two-thirds of the vote, Timinsky said. 

"If it's no, it's no, but the comments that I read on our social media posts are so far from reality for the fire district that it's frustrating," Timinsky said. 

The chief said that includes comments suggesting developers are not pitching in enough. 

"New growth does pay for itself," Timinsky said. "They're paying mitigation fees. They're paying impact fees. But collectively, all of us that live within the borders of the districts, need to pay for the personnel and that's what we're asking for the levy increase for, is the personnel." 

In Star, Timinsky said they would use the money to staff a station that is being built with impact fees. In Middleton, they would use the money to remodel a building into a station.  

Both stations are needed to keep up with growth, he said. 

"We want to be able to continue to provide the response times that we used to, and every year, they keep diminishing," Timinsky said. 

That is why Timinsky said the districts want to go back to the voters in May. 

"Ultimately, it's up to the commissioners of Middleton and Star fire districts if they put it on the May ballot," Timinsky said. "But that's going to be our recommendation because our problem isn't going away."

Fire districts in Idaho have no options other than asking the community for money, Timinsky said. That is because legislation passed in 2021 hamstrung districts' finances. 

He said the districts will continue hosting monthly meetings aimed at educating the community about how property taxes work. They also plan on upping their social media presence and increasing the number of mailers. 

Meeting dates: 

  • 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21 at Star Fire Protection District 
  • 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21 at Middleton Rural Fire District

Star and Middleton were not the only districts in southern Idaho that went out for a levy this November. Rock Creek in Kimberly also did. That levy passed. It had a lower threshold since it was not permanent, meaning it needed 50% of the vote plus one. 

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