Sales Tax Proposal in Evergreen
To support services provided by Evergreen Fire/Rescue
Understanding the Proposal
If approved on the November ballot, a 0.89% sales tax would generate an estimated $5.44 million annually for Evergreen Fire/Rescue. That means a $100 taxable purchase in Evergreen would add 89 cents in sales tax to your bill. Recent state legislation gives fire protection districts the option to use a sales tax on goods purchased within their district to generate additional funding for fire and emergency services.
Evergreen Fire/Rescue has not sought additional funding from the community since 2016.
VOTE YES ON 7B!
Community Services Provided
Fire Operations
Firefighters protect our community from fires and fire-related emergencies. They respond to structure fires, vehicle fires, brush & vegetation fires; fire, smoke, & carbon monoxide alarm incidents, hazardous waste spills, backcountry rescues, swift water & ice rescues, & other emergency incidents. Firefighters conduct fire inspections and investigate fire hazards to help prevent fires and protect lives and property.
Emergency Medical Services
Paramedics & EMTs provide emergency medical care when people need it most. They respond to medical emergencies, injuries, accidents, cardiac events, breathing problems, & other urgent health situations. They provide care at the scene, stabilize patients, & transport those who need additional treatment to the hospital. In addition, they conduct community training (such as CPR classes), as well as place & maintain AEDs/defibrillators in the community.
Wildfire Efforts
Wildland firefighter crews work year-round to reduce wildfire risk through vegetation management, provide home wildfire risk assessments, & a residential wood chipping program. They also provide community education & support the Citizen Wildfire Ambassadors program, helping residents prepare & protect their homes and neighborhoods. These ongoing efforts help create safer, more resilient communities & improve the ability to respond when wildfires threaten Evergreen.
Fire Prevention/Risk Reduction
The Fire Prevention and Risk Reduction division works to prevent fires & reduce fire-related risks throughout the community. They provide fire safety education, conduct inspections, and work with residents & businesses to increase awareness of fire hazards & safe practices. They also bring fire & wildfire safety education to local elementary schools & elder groups in the community. In addition, the division ensures that buildings & businesses comply with the International Fire Code & other fire safety standards.
Community Paramedics - ECARES Program
Evergreen Community Assistance Referral & Education Services (ECARES program) provides free, in-home paramedic visits to help Evergreen residents stay healthy, independent, & live safely at home for as long as possible. Paramedics provide wellness checks, fall prevention, chronic disease & medication management, & other health support. They serve as an extension of care for healthcare providers throughout our community, helping residents navigate the complex healthcare system & find alternatives to unnecessary 911 calls, emergency room visits, hospital stays, & readmissions.
Community Outreach
Evergreen Fire/Rescue is actively involved in the community beyond emergency response. The department hosts the EPAD Golf Tournament, raising funds for free public CPR/AED classes & AEDs/defibrillators throughout the community. They also organize Health & Safety Day, food & hygiene drives benefiting Evergreen Christian Outreach (EChO), provide emergency services at the Evergreen Rodeo, & participate in community events such as the Rodeo Parade, Big Chili cookoff, Dam Duck Derby, & Rotary Club Ice Melt.
Rising Costs
The demand for fire & emergency services continues to grow across the district and has begun to outpace revenue. 911 calls for service have increased by 107% over the last 10 years:
2,097 calls for service in 2016 (1,380 of those were medical services calls)
4,340 calls for service in 2025 (1,794 of those were medical services calls)
To keep up with demand, any potential revenue would fund critical operational and safety areas:
Additional full-time, paid firefighter & paramedic staff to properly serve 26,000 residents across 126 square miles
Having a sufficient number of full-time firefighters & paramedics staffing 24/7 at the fire stations ensures the strongest possible emergency response
The district has 8 fire stations, with 3 partially-staffed 24/7
Replacement of outdated fire engines; costs have more than doubled in 5 years
2020 fire engine cost was $650,000
2025 cost was $1.4 million
Rebuilding/consolidation of two outdated fire stations that can no longer meet the facility/equipment needs of firefighters, nor accommodate larger, more modern fire engines
Station 1 by the Evergreen dam was built in 1965 for an all-volunteer department & does not provide enough workspace to staff firefighters or safely separate contaminated uniforms & equipment after fires
Station 4 on Highway 73 was built in 1984; it contains only two sleeping rooms & houses three ambulances, with no space for additional firefighters or fire engines
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Expanding the ECARES program to provide more Evergreen residents with free in-home paramedic care, and support them in staying healthy & independent
Since the program began in 2017, patient visits have increased 3,767%—from 43 visits in its first year to
1,663 visits in 2025
Personal protective equipment, medical equipment, & medical supplies
52% increase in equipment & supply costs since 2019–2020
2019-2020 equipment & supplies: $36,500
2025-2026 equipment & supplies: $55,500
Modern, cancer-protective firefighting uniforms are more costly than standard uniforms
Nearly 75% of firefighter line-of-duty deaths are attributed to occupational cancer
Source: https://www.iafc.org/docs/default-source/lg-scale-response/usfasummit22-23workgroupreport.pdf?sfvrsn=d599780c_0&utm_source=chatgpt.com (page 11)
Volunteer recruitment & retention
Invest in recruitment, training, equipment, and support programs that help attract, develop, & retain the volunteers who are essential to our emergency response system
Wildfire prevention & vegetation mitigation
More than two-thirds of Jefferson County is in a designated wildfire hazard area, and the county has more homes in high & extreme wildfire-risk areas than any other county in Colorado. Evergreen and Conifer are among the county's highest-risk areas.
Source: https://www.jeffco.us/4332/Wildfire-CommissionAdditional funding is needed to hire more wildland firefighters, expanding coverage from the current 4 days per week to 7-day coverage.
Community education programs
Funding is needed to continue community education programs that help residents prevent emergencies, prepare for wildfires & other disasters, and respond appropriately when emergencies occur. Programs include fire safety, CPR/AED training, wildfire preparedness, and outreach to schools, businesses, & community groups.
Without additional revenue by 2027, Evergreen Fire/Rescue will face significant challenges in maintaining the high level of fire & emergency services our community depends on. Vote YES on 7B!
The proposed sales tax is 0.89%. That means a $100 taxable purchase in Evergreen would add 89 cents in sales tax to your bill. The revenue from this tax would go directly to support Evergreen Fire/Rescue & the essential services it provides to our community. A 0.89% sales tax on goods purchased within the fire protection district would generate an estimated $5.44M in revenue. Learn more about the rising costs.
Groceries, prescriptions, diapers, feminine products, medical supplies (such as insulin), professional services (such as plumbers), and energy & fuel for residential purposes would NOT be included in this sales tax.
See the FAQs & the Colorado Department of Revenue Sales Tax Guide for more specific information.
What IS subject to a sales tax in Evergreen:
Restaurants & bars
Short-term rentals
Goods, wares, merchandise, products, & commodities purchased for personal property
Digital goods delivered or stored by digital means, such as videos, music, or electronic books
Online purchases, including Amazon orders - key factor is where the taxable goods are delivered, not where the buyer lives
Visitors from surrounding communities who shop at Walmart & Home Depot or enjoy Evergreen’s local businesses & venues would also contribute to the revenue generated by the sales tax, not just district residents/homeowners.
Sales Tax Details
What’s in it for me?
A stronger, more prepared Evergreen Fire/Rescue means faster, more reliable emergency services when you or someone you love needs help & calls 911.
Faster, Safer Emergency Response
More firefighters staffed at fire stations, able to respond immediately instead of waiting for volunteer firefighters to drive to the station, put on protective gear, & respond
Neighborhood volunteer firefighters would still play a critical role, often arriving first, but staffed fire engines can begin arriving much sooner
Better Service During Multiple Emergencies
Additional staffing provides coverage for routine calls, while keeping another engine available for the next emergency
More personnel reduces the need to move fire engines across the district to maintain adequate coverage
“Adequate coverage” is based on the 2026 Standard of Cover, an independent assessment that defines staffing needs based on call type & severity
The Standard of Cover is based on the National Fire Protection Association Standard 1710, national data, & Evergreen Fire/Rescue’s own data
Additional firefighters allow ambulance crews to split, keeping one paramedic at the primary station (Station 2 on Bergen Parkway) to staff a second ambulance during periods of high call volume
Stronger Wildfire Response
A dedicated wildland crew available 7 days a week instead of the current 4-day staffing
Increased neighborhood & evacuation route mitigation projects
Faster wildfire response with wildland firefighters already working in the district, thereby improving initial attack & reducing fire growth potential
Structure fires can ignite wildfires, making additional crew essential to address the wildfire threat while other firefighters focus on the structure fire & any search & rescue efforts that are needed
Improved Firefighter Safety
Increased staffing allows firefighters to operate more safely & effectively
Current staffing, at times, does not meet the personnel required for safe interior firefighting
“Safe interior firefighting” refers to the Occupational Safety Hazard & Health Administration (OSHA) Respiratory Protection Standard (“2-in/2-out”)
This standard requires that at least 2 firefighters enter together & at least 2 standby firefighters remain outside, ready to take action
A single firefighter responding to a fire—often the case at Station 1 by the dam—must drive, assess the emergency, develop an action plan, operate the fire engine, deploy hose if needed, & manage incoming firefighter resources—a demanding workload that creates significant risk
Recruitment and Retention of Firefighters & Paramedics
Competitive pay & benefits help recruit and retain highly trained firefighters & paramedics from a larger pool of candidates
Better staffing improves morale, reduces burnout, & supports long-term retention
Modernized Equipment & Facilities
Replacing aging fire engines reduces maintenance costs, improves reliability, & helps ensure that equipment is available when needed
The current design of Station 1 by the dam (built in 1965) has both health & operational challenges
It does not provide enough workspace to staff firefighters, or safely separate contaminated uniforms & equipment after fires
The station’s garage height limits which fire engines can be housed inside; newer engines must have their ladder racks removed before entering, creating a safety risk each time the engines are moved inside
Modernized facilities create a better work environment, boost morale, & support long-term staff retention
Protecting the Services You Rely On
A sales tax provides stable, sustainable funding for Evergreen Fire/Rescue
A sales tax provides a broader, more stable revenue source than relying solely on property taxes, which can fluctuate & lead to unexpected reductions in services
A sales tax allows improvements to be made sooner, preserving funds that would otherwise lose purchasing power due to inflation
Visitors who shop, dine, & recreate in Evergreen also help fund local emergency services through sales tax revenue, reducing the burden on district residents/homeowners
