Last month, Floyd County Supervisors passed a resolution to place an emergency medical services (EMS) tax levy to raise up to $670,000 a year for five years, on the ballot this November. The majority of the funds, to be raised through property taxes, could create a County-run ambulance service.
The tax levy was recommended by the EMS Advisory Council, which met Tuesday (09.17) to discuss educating voters on the measure. They also reviewed efforts when a previous EMS tax levy failed two years ago. EMS Council member Dawn Staudt noted the previous campaign also limited reach among the voting public.
Staudt recommended making informational materials available so voters have something to reference and is accurate if they share with others.
Floyd County Medical Center (FCMC) CEO Dawnett Willis noted that their education should point out that the subsidy Floyd County and the City of Charles City currently pay to AMR Ambulance has more than doubled since the last EMS tax levy failed, from about $200,000 a year then to almost $450,000 this fiscal year.
EMS Council Chair Keith Starr offered a more simplistic view of the situation.
Both the County and the City have committed $1,500 each for the EMS Advisory Council to cover costs to promote the facts of the tax levy, but the group is not allowed to urge voters to cast ballots in favor of the measure.
The EMS Council looks to finalize their voter education approach when they meet again next Tuesday (09.24).
EMS Council member Brandy Molitor suggested that the Floyd County EMS Association could take up a VOTE YES campaign, since the organization operates independently of any municipality.
