The Editor:
As mentioned in The Northern Light, Fire District 21 Chief Jason Van der Veen describes the state of emergency services in our area as “at a breaking point.”
In the last 20 years, emergency calls to Fire District 21 increased by 79% — 71% are for medical assistance, not fires. Meanwhile, 30% of calls come at the same time as others, which increases response times because distant fire stations must help.
So, unfortunately, many calls take longer than 10 minutes to reach.
For example: On May 13, the emergency response vehicle that was located furthest from Semiahmoo was the only one available to take a call for help at Semiahmoo Resort. The truck departed at 1:25 p.m. and didn’t arrive at the resort for 27 minutes. Trucks from Birch Bay and Ferndale were already transporting people.
The situation is critical. Please vote “Yes” for the levy ballot measure on Aug. 4.
Margot Savell
Birch Bay
Chair of the pro levy committee
The Editor:
While our population has grown, what we pay for emergency services through Fire District 21 has gone down from $1.37 per $1,000 in assessed property value, initially authorized in 2006, to $0.77 today. That’s because only a 1% annual budget increase was allowed by Washington state for the past 20 years, even though inflation and wage costs increased far more. It works like this.
Let’s say there’s an initial budget of $1,000 spread across 10 property owners. Each owner would pay $100. A budget increase of 1% means the budget becomes $1,010. But the population grows to 12 property owners. So, each owner now pays $84.17 ($1,010/12), even though with 3% inflation the budget should have grown to $1,030.
Fire District 21 has to cover more people with less money, and our firefighters and EMTs have contributed all they can. Last year, they didn’t even get a raise in pay. We are in danger of losing people to districts that pay more. Whether you’re on a farm, in a gated community, young or old, fire and medical emergencies can happen to anyone.
Please vote yes for the fire protection levy lid lift.
Chuck Kinzer
Birch Bay
The Editor:
Please note, under the proposed levy lid lift to $1.20 per $1,000 assessed value for our Fire District 21, including EMT services, annual adjustments to the levy can be no more than 3% each year for the next five years with the total adjusted levy not to exceed $1.50 at the end of the five-year period, as noted in the “Official Local Voters’ Pamphlet” at page 19.
The community really needs this upgrade to barely even catch up with inflation since the last lift 20 years ago, not to mention the average price of gas in Washington of $2.76 in 2006. Please find it in your hearts and wallets to vote yes on Proposition 2026-03 and hope you never need the services.
Sarah Whitney
Blaine
The Editor:
Luisa Loi’s reporting on the recent increase in ICE enforcement activity in our own backyard was deeply troubling.
Her descriptions of masked agents in unmarked vehicles “swarming” targeted cars, and agents “routinely” breaking vehicle windows if a warrant is asked for, paint a picture that is difficult to reconcile with the values we have long associated with our justice system.
What happened to de-escalation training? What happened to the principle of innocent until proven guilty? These ideals have long been hallmarks of the America many of us cherish.
Few would object to removing dangerous criminals from our communities. However, reports indicate enforcement priorities have shifted toward meeting arrest quotas. News organizations have reported that the majority of those detained have no serious criminal history. ICE’s most likely “probable cause” are their own arrest quotas.
“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”
Erin Hallenburg
Blaine
The Editor:
P.E.O., Chapter J, Blaine, celebrated their 50th annual brown bag luncheon at the Blaine Boating Center on Marine Drive on Thursday, July 16.
The picnic originally began in 1976 at the Peace Arch Park in the American Kitchen and was called the bicentennial picnic, where chapters from Whatcom County and British Columbia attended and renewed old and new friendships. It was later moved to Blaine Harbor.
P.E.O., an international philanthropic, educational organization, supports scholarships and loans for women’s education. Chapter J began in Blaine on Sept. 12, 1905.
Daphne Butcher
Blaine
The Editor:
In kindergarten, children say hurtful names to other children: “kindergarten baby” or “your mother wears combat boots.” Teachers hear put-downs as signs of bullying.
Trump and I are 80. I became a teacher, and Donald the president. If a student in any school where I was an educator teased other children with comments like “Braindead Bernie” (Sanders), “Deranged Liz Cheney,” “Stone Cold Loser” (Mitt Romney), “Songbird John” (McCain), they’d be on the principal’s bench and up for discipline.
His childlike loops of disrespectful name-calling is tolerated by his Republican Cabinet, House, Senate and the conservative Supreme Court members.
Are these the people you want to control the most dangerous “toybox” in the world, especially that little red box?
Vote in November.
Say no to the insanity/chaos led by a man that has not outgrown kindergarten name-calling. Don’t let Project 2025 destroy our democracy and Constitution.
Ron Snyder
Blaine
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