Ambulance service

A petition drive is underway to put an issue on the Cape Girardeau County ballot next April that would, if passed, establish a property tax to raise funding for a new, tax-funded countywide ambulance service. The Friends of Cape Girardeau County Ambulance District is holding informational meetings and making presentations. The group is proposing a 30-cent tax on each $100 of assessed property value.

The county has an ambulance service, Cape County Private Ambulance Service, which is subsidized by the county. Cape Girardeau County currently has no tax on real estate and derives most of its revenue from sales taxes. Dr. John Russell, principal owner of the ambulance service, says the county's $225,000 annual subsidy is less than 10 percent of the company's income.

The individuals who are the driving force behind the petition drive -- all have nursing, emergency medical technician or paramedic backgrounds -- are careful to promote the benefits of a countywide ambulance service without being critical of the CCPA service. But the question of whether the county needs or could support two ambulance services is among the many pieces of information voters would need in order to make an informed decision on a ballot issue.

The topic of ambulance service is certainly worth discussing, particularly in light of the fact that taxpayers are paying at least a portion of the current expense. But starting a broad-based discussion about improving or changing ambulance service by proposing a tax vote right off the bat seems a bit premature. The county would be better served to know what the issues, pro and con, are regarding ambulance service, what it would take to provide the best ambulance service -- including quick response times even in remote areas of the county -- and how the estimated $2.8 million the tax would generate would be spent.

There may be other issues that need airing as part of a bigger picture. For example, both Cape Girardeau and Jackson firefighters are first-responders every time an ambulance is requested in those cities. Trained EMTs are frequently the first to arrive when an ambulance is needed, providing life-saving assistance. This service is provided at considerable cost. Is there a way to combine those services with those that would be provided by a new countywide ambulance district? And are there other emergency services in the county that should be a part of these discussions?

These, and many other questions, suggest that the dialogue regarding ambulance service needs to be broadened to include as many representatives of emergency services as possible. And what questions there are should be answered before voters are asked to approve a tax increase.