Voters in a second Highline-area city may be asked to lift their city’s property tax levy lid.

SeaTac council members are set on Tuesday, April 25, to place a levy lid lift request on the Sept. 19 ballot to pay for increased fire staffing and replace two fire stations.

If SeaTac voters approve, the property tax rate will increase from $2.77 per $1,000 of assessed home value to $3.10 for six years.

The city would also be allowed to increase total property tax revenue by 4 percent each year until 2012.

However, the tax rate could not exceed $3.12.

A state initiative passed by the voters limits tax revenue increases to 1 percent above the previous year’s rate unless local voters approve a levy lid lift.

City officials estimate the lid lift would generate $15 million over six years.

Des Moines voters will go to the polls on May 16 to decide whether to raise their property tax lid to fund additional police services.

In SeaTac, the additional revenues would pay for an increase in daily fire personnel from 10 to 15, according to fire chief Bob Meyer.

Staffing levels have not changed since 1993, although service calls have increased by 68 percent, he noted.

Each of the city’s three fire stations would house three engine companies with three firefighters each.

In additional, a ladder truck company with three firefighters would be stationed at the new McMicken Heights headquarters station at 3521 S. 170th St.

An aid car with two medics would be assigned to the south station at 2929 S. 200th St. Fifty-five percent of the city’s emergency medical calls originate from the south zone, Meyer noted.

A battalion chief would always be on duty.

A fire marshal and public educator would also be added.

The city would replace the 200th Street station and Riverton Heights station, located at 3215 S. 152nd St., with the additional tax revenue.

Lawmakers voted on March 28 to rebuild an expanded McMicken Heights station using funds from reserve accounts.

A consultant has advised city leaders that all three current stations do not meet earthquake codes.

Increased staffing would mean quicker fire suppression and less need for aid from surrounding fire departments.

The city has not owned a ladder truck since 1996, Meyer added. A ladder truck could arrive at a fire scene within eight minutes, instead of the 14 minutes that it typically takes a ladder truck from Tukwila to respond.

A full-time staffed aid car means engines and firefighters would be reserved for fire calls, Meyer said.

Lawmakers were scheduled to vote on placing the lid lift on the ballot at their April 11 meeting. However, additional questions forced consideration to the April 25 session.

Councilman Joe Brennan said in past years council members haven’t assessed the maximum property tax rate allowed.

The city has also benefited from parking taxes from lots around Sea-Tac International Airport, he noted.

“But now is the time we need it with three fire stations not meeting the seismic codes,” Brennan declared. “We are just going back to what the law allows us.”

Councilman Chris Wythe added that he supports the lid lift but is concerned whether the city could continue to fund the additional fire services after the lid lift ends.

He also asked about revenues to handle disaster emergencies.

City Manager Craig Ward assured Wythe the city has “substantial reserves” to handle emergencies.