Yakima Considers $3M EMS Levy Amid Tax Hike Concerns

City Council weighs new tax proposal to avoid closing fire station, but residents worry about compounding tax burdens.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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The Yakima City Council is considering a $3 million EMS levy to prevent the closure of a local fire station and expand emergency services, but some council members are raising concerns about the potential for additional tax hikes and the city's reliance on the county's EMS levy decisions.

Why it matters

Yakima has faced significant budget deficits, leading to public safety cuts, and the failure of a recent property tax hike has left the city searching for alternative revenue sources to maintain essential services. The EMS levy debate highlights the challenges cities face in balancing budgets and resident tax burdens.

The details

The Yakima City Council closed a $9 million budget deficit by cutting $6 million from public safety, including a planned $1.75 million reduction for the fire department that would have resulted in the closure of Station 92. The council has allocated $150,000 in limited reserves to keep the station open until August, and is now considering a 25-cent-per-$1,000-of-assessed-value EMS levy that could generate $3 million annually to maintain the station and expand services. However, some council members are concerned about the compounding tax burden on residents and whether the EMS levy could lead to future tax increase requests.

  • In November 2025, voters rejected a $6 million property tax hike.
  • In January 2026, the city closed a $9 million budget deficit, largely by cutting $6 million from public safety.
  • Last month, the council allocated $150,000 in limited reserves to keep Station 92 open until August.

The players

Yakima City Council

The governing body of the city of Yakima, Washington, responsible for budget and policy decisions.

Aaron Markham

Yakima Fire Department Chief, who presented details on the proposed EMS levy to the city council.

Rick Glenn

Yakima City Councilmember, who raised concerns about the city's ability to fund basic obligations amid the proposed tax increase.

Patricia Byers

Yakima City Councilmember, who expressed concerns about directing any additional revenues to offset cuts to the police and parks departments.

Juliet Potrykus

Yakima City Councilmember, who questioned whether expanding services through a levy would lead to future challenges.

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What they’re saying

“We have asked the parks to sacrifice. We've asked the police to sacrifice, and now we're talking about increasing the scope of the firefighting. We need these services, but we don't have an unlimited budget.”

— Rick Glenn, Yakima City Councilmember (dailyfly.com)

“I'm curious if [the EMS levy] will beget another levy at a higher level, over and over.”

— Juliet Potrykus, Yakima City Councilmember (dailyfly.com)

What’s next

The Yakima City Council voted 4-2 to direct city staff to return with a financial analysis for the proposed EMS levy. The council noted that the timeline for the city's levy would be complicated by the county's EMS levy, which expires in 2029 and could be renewed in 2028, potentially leaving a gap year for the city's levy.

The takeaway

Yakima's budget challenges and the failure of a recent property tax hike have left the city searching for alternative revenue sources to maintain essential public safety services. The debate over the proposed EMS levy highlights the difficult tradeoffs cities face in balancing resident tax burdens and funding critical needs, as well as the complexities that can arise when city and county tax measures intersect.