Thinking big.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Contrary to common wisdom and e-mail spam, bigger is not always better. But it's sometimes the case when it comes to local governments and, in particular, fire and ambulance services.

Mergers of fire departments and districts must be judged on a case-by-case basis, but as a rule there often is much to be gained in terms of efficiency, reduced administrative costs, the elimination of duplication and an end to jurisdictional disputes.

A strong argument, in fact, can be made that the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area would be better served by a single cohesive fire and ambulance district than by the current patchwork quilt of agencies, each with its own administration, staffing, equipment, policies and regulations.

Such an arrangement certainly would have precluded the nasty - and still simmering - dispute between the Eugene and Springfield fire departments over cross-jurisdictional ambulance responses.

The Springfield City Council wisely decided last week to continue studying a possible annexation of its fire department to the Willakenzie Fire District, which now provides fire service for residents outside Eugene and Springfield in the Gateway area and residents of the Harbor Drive area south of Springfield.

At first glance, the idea makes sense from several perspectives. For Springfield residents, who would become part of the Willakenzie district, the annexation would ensure stable, long-term funding for fire services. That's because fire districts are not bound by the same post-Measure 5 property tax limits as cities.

Another potential benefit for Springfield fire officials would be freedom from uncertainty of whether special levies will be renewed by voters. For example, city voters approved a levy last fall that enabled the department to reopen a pivotal fire station that had been closed for lack of funding. If the Springfield department joins the Willakenzie district, the district would have the option of continuing the city's current fire-service tax rate indefinitely, and eliminating the need to go back to voters every few years for levy renewals.

There is also the alluring prospect for Springfield officials of having more room to tax, if necessary, under the city's property tax limit. That would occur as the $4 million fire department's budget shifts from the city to the fire district, leaving the city that much more potential taxing authority.

Not everyone, of course, regards this increased flexibility as a benefit. City Councilor Stu Burge already has made clear that he opposes giving the city any increased taxing capacity. But Springfield residents should feel reassured by the city's well-earned reputation for discipline in both spending and in asking voters to approve new taxes.

Many questions remain to be answered on issues ranging from service to savings. But the Springfield City Council was on the mark in gauging the potential benefits of annexation as meriting further study.