Troutdale is reviewing how fire and emergency medical services are funded to ensure these essential services remain reliable and financially sustainable in the years ahead. Like many communities, the city is facing rising emergency service costs that are increasing faster than available revenue.
Fire and EMS services are funded from the same general revenue sources that support other city services—primarily property taxes that also fund street maintenance, parks, water systems, and other essential operations. Rising emergency service costs affect the entire city budget and the city's ability to maintain all services residents depend on.
Since 1995, Troutdale has contracted with the City of Gresham for fire and emergency medical services. While this partnership has served the community well, independent financial studies show that continuing under the current model—or transitioning to any alternative service delivery model—will require additional funding to maintain current service levels. Costs that are approximately $5 million today for Troutdale, Fairview, and Wood Village combined are projected to exceed $8 million by 2030.
The City of Troutdale has made no decisions about future fire service delivery. City leaders are carefully reviewing all available data, community feedback, and potential options to ensure any recommendations prioritize public safety, service quality, and fiscal responsibility. If any changes are proposed, residents will have multiple opportunities for input, and voters will ultimately decide at the ballot box.
This page summarizes why these conversations are happening now, what the data shows about current service performance and costs, what options are being considered, and how the city is planning responsibly for the future while keeping the community informed every step of the way. You can find a more in-depth explanation, studies, analyses, and more in the analysis and supporting documents section below.
Property taxes fund essential services Troutdale residents rely on — streets, parks, infrastructure, police, fire, and emergency medical response. For a home with a real market value between $450,000 and $500,000, the total annual tax bill runs approximately $4,000 to $5,000, of which the City of Troutdale receives about one-quarter — roughly $920 per year, or $75 per month per household.
In fiscal year 2025–26, the City expects to collect approximately $7.5 to $8 million in property taxes total. Fire and emergency medical services represent the largest and fastest-growing share of that revenue, accounting for roughly $4 million, or 43 percent of Troutdale's property tax burden.
Independent financial projections show fire service costs rising substantially over the next several years regardless of service model. Currently, Troutdale, Fairview, and Wood Village together spend approximately $5 million per year on fire services — $3.25 million of that is Troutdale's share. By 2030, driven by inflation, staffing, equipment, and growing medical response demand, those costs are projected to exceed $8 million, with Troutdale's share reaching $4.6 million.
It is important to note that property tax rates are permanently capped and cannot be changed — even by voters — leaving cities to deliver the same or greater level of services as 1995 with roughly half the per-capita revenue. Troutdale's resulting funding gap was approximately $500,000 in 2000. By 2025, it has grown to more than $2.5 million.
To help address the growing public safety costs, the City Council adopted a $15 monthly public safety fee in 2025. The fee was projected to generate approximately $1.4 million annually but is trending closer to $1.2 million. The fee is legally restricted to police and fire services; it cannot be used for other general government expenses. While this revenue helps slow the growth of the funding gap it does not eliminate the need to adjust and evaluate long-term funding options for police and fire services.
Some service models could reduce the share of general fund dollars currently used for fire services, potentially allowing resources to support other community priorities in the future while maintaining reliable emergency response. These possibilities continue to be evaluated.