Walla Walla County to vote on EMS levy renewal in February
By Dan Thesman on Wednesday, January 21st, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – Walla Walla County residents will head to the polls on Feb. 10 to decide on the renewal of the county’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) levy.
The measure is not a new tax but a replacement of the existing levy, which requires voter reapproval every six years. If passed, the levy will maintain the current rate of $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value for a period running from Jan. 1, 2027, through Dec. 31, 2032.
Under Washington state law, these funds are strictly designated for the provision of emergency medical services. According to county officials, the revenue supports funding for paramedics, advanced EMTs, and emergency medical responders; the purchase of ambulances, defibrillators, and essential medical supplies; and bridging the financial gap left by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance coverage for ambulance transports.
The levy supports eight fire and EMS agencies covering more than 1,200 square miles and serving over 60,000 residents and visitors. These agencies include six rural fire districts (North County and Districts 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8) alongside the city of Walla Walla and College Place fire departments.
Officials emphasize that the levy allows fire districts to fund medical services without diverting money away from vital fire protection budgets. Most EMS personnel in the county are cross trained as firefighters, operating under a tiered response system that dispatches the closest medical responders and an ambulance simultaneously upon a 911 call.
