The Westside Fire District in Sagle, Idaho is asking North Idaho voters to approve a levy override on the May 19, 2026 ballot that would fund a significant expansion of full-time firefighter staffing across the district. Fire Commissioners voted 3-0 to place the measure before taxpayers, proposing a rate of $67 per $100,000 of assessed property value — a revised figure designed to address concerns raised after a similar measure failed in 2025.
Background: A Second Attempt After 2025 Defeat
The Westside Fire District, which serves communities in the Panhandle region of North Idaho, is no stranger to the challenges facing rural fire districts across Idaho. Last year, voters rejected a levy override that would have addressed the same core staffing shortfalls. District leadership went back to the drawing board, listened to community feedback, and returned with a leaner proposal.
The new measure is structured differently from the 2025 version. Most notably, it does not include a capital funds request for a new fire engine — a component that some voters objected to previously. The result is a proposal that costs taxpayers approximately $24 less than what was on the ballot last year, according to the district. For those following Idaho government and public safety funding issues more broadly, Idaho News at idahonews.co and the Idaho News Network at IdahoNewsNetwork.com have tracked similar levy and budget battles playing out across the state.
What the Levy Would Fund
The central goal of the proposed levy override is straightforward: increase daily on-duty staffing from one firefighter per day to two. If approved, the additional revenue would allow the Westside Fire District to grow its roster to six full-time firefighters.
District leadership has identified a convergence of pressures making the status quo unsustainable. Rising call volumes are stretching existing crews thin. An aging fleet of fire engines is generating repair costs that regularly exceed budget projections. Volunteer numbers, like those in fire districts across the Kootenai County area and throughout North Idaho, have been declining for years. And inflation has outpaced budget growth, eroding the district’s purchasing power year after year.
Together, these factors have created a situation where a single firefighter on duty may be the first and only responder to an emergency until mutual aid arrives — a reality that district commissioners say is not acceptable for a growing service area.
Impact on Westside Fire District Property Owners
For a homeowner with a property assessed at $300,000, the levy would amount to roughly $201 per year, or just under $17 per month. For a $400,000 home — increasingly common in the fast-growing North Idaho Panhandle region — the annual cost would be approximately $268.
The district has emphasized that the per-dollar cost is lower than what was proposed and rejected in 2025, and that the streamlined ask reflects a genuine attempt to respond to voter concerns. By removing the capital equipment component, the levy focuses exclusively on personnel — the most direct factor in emergency response capability.
Adequate fire staffing also carries practical implications for property insurance rates. Homes and businesses in districts with lower Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings — often tied to staffing and equipment levels — can face higher premiums. Improved staffing may support better ISO ratings over time, which could benefit property owners across the district’s coverage area.
What Comes Next
The levy override will appear on the May 19, 2026 ballot. Voters within the Westside Fire District boundaries will decide whether to approve the $67 per $100,000 assessed value increase.
For residents who want to learn more about the proposal before casting a ballot, the Westside Fire District encourages community members to attend upcoming public meetings or contact district leadership directly. Information on voter registration and polling locations in North Idaho is available through the Bonner County Elections Office.
District commissioners have made clear that if the levy fails a second time, the staffing shortfalls will remain unresolved — leaving the district to manage growing demand with limited personnel and aging equipment. The May election will determine whether voters in the Westside Fire District are ready to invest in expanding the fireground resources protecting their homes and families.