How Will New Ambulance Deal Affect Our Taxes?
13/04/2009 06:00
Hi Don,
I have been following, with great interest, the recent media coverage regarding upcoming changes to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) here in St. Albert. I have also studied lots of information readily available on the city web-site. This is my understanding deduced from this abundance of information:
· The City of St. Albert will no longer be responsible for EMS (ambulance) response.
· EMS (ambulance) response will now be the responsibility of, and provided by, the Provincial Government.
· The city is in the process of hiring 20 new positions (on behalf of the Provincial Govt.) to meet the staffing requirements of the new EMS protocol.
· The transition of responsibility from city to province will come with an initial cost to the city taxpayer of $265,000. there after the entire cost will be borne by the Provincial Govt.
· With the province taking over, it now becomes responsible for $1.4 million that the city taxpayer used to pay, annually, for EMS (ambulance) response.
From all the information available, what is not clear, and perhaps Mayor Crouse can enlighten us upon, is:
· The City of St. Albert Fire Service currently has the required staff to provide full EMS (ambulance) coverage. So why is the city hiring 20 new EMS members?
· When the city hires 20 new EMS members, will the St. Albert Fire Service staffing requirement be adjusted to reflect the fact that the city is no longer required to provide EMS (ambulance) response?
· Will the city budget reflect the fact that St. Albert taxpayers are no longer required to pay $1.4 million annually, for EMS (ambulance) response?
Regards,
Robert Hartley
St. Albert Taxpayers Association
SINC SAYS:
Over to you, Mayor Crouse.
