Pierce County city plans to increase property tax levy for emergency services in 2025
The city of DuPont is considering a 1% increase to its property-tax levy earmarked for Emergency Medical Services, as it has every year since the levy was approved, according to the city finance director.
If approved, the new EMS property tax levy would result in $12,852.97 more for the city, bringing the total 2025 EMS levy amount to $1,299,438, according to a city presentation. Residents will not see a property tax increase beyond what was assessed by Pierce County this year, said finance director Carma Oaksmith in an email to The News Tribune on Tuesday.
“We are asking for Council’s approval to receive the full 1% allowed from the County on the property tax already assessed,” she said.
Per state law, property-tax increases are limited to 1% each year. The revenue generated by the EMS levy goes into the city’s General Fund to support the EMS portion of the Fire Department. The department has 13 firefighters who are partially funded by the EMS levy, Oaksmith said.
In 2023 voters approved a renewal of the EMS levy with a rate of $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, according to last week’s council agenda. That EMS levy will expire at the end of 2029.
In 2025 the total assessed valuation of property in DuPont was about $2.7 billion, according to Pierce County. Property-tax levy certifications have to be submitted to the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer’s office by Nov. 30.
Where do property taxes go in DuPont?
In 2024 84% of property tax funds raised in DuPont support agencies other than the city, like the state, Pierce County, schools and libraries, Oaksmith said in her presentation to the city Nov. 12. Ten percent of property taxes go to the city of DuPont, and 6% goes to the city of DuPont EMS levy.
DuPont’s budget for 2025-2026
According to a city presentation on the 2025-2026 biennial budget, DuPont plans to spend $22,344,847 in 2025 and $23,008,766 in 2026. Oaksmith said the main difference between the two budget years is the road-overlay projects taking place in 2026.
Construction and design of various road-overlay projects in the next two years include about $949,000 for the design and construction of a Center Drive Pavement Preservation project between Kincaid Street and Palisade Boulevard off of I-5 and Center Drive. A $850,000 construction project would grind and overlay existing asphalt travel lanes and improve ADA sidewalk ramps between Palisade Boulevard to Powerline Road, according to a Nov. 12 budget presentation.
In the last biennium, DuPont approved a budget of $27,907,570 in 2023 and $20,299,452 in 2024. City staff said the major difference between those budgets was due to capital projects and American Rescue Plan Act expenditures.
