Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett plans a renewed push for ambulance fees to help bridge a budget gap of more than $760 million, an aide said.
Leggett will include the projected revenues from an ambulance fee in his proposed budget for fiscal 2011, his spokesman Patrick Lacefield said.
The fees, which in past proposals range from $300 to $800 per trip plus $8.75 a mile, were rejected by the County Council 5-3 last summer amid concerns that they might cause people in need not to call for emergency services based on cost concerns.
Supports of the fees said they would be taking money from insurance companies, and not county residents. Nonresidents without insurance would have to pay the fees, but
An estimate last year said the fees would bring in $12.5 million a year. That’s money the cash-strapped county can’t afford to do without, Lacefield said. He adding if the county had approved the fees three years ago when Leggett first suggested them the county would have an $45 million to use for firefighting efforts.
“If it was really needed three years ago it’s really needed now,” Lacefield said.
Fairfax County, Prince George’s County and the District all charge ambulance fees. Prince William County’s Board of Supervisors are currently considering adopting similar fees.
Council Vice President Valerie Ervin, who voted against the fee last year, said she hasn’t made up her mind whether she would support the fee this year. She noted that the estimated revenues would be a tiny fraction of the overall budget gap.
Montgomery County’s Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association, which has been a fierce opponent of the fees, said they would seek to put the issue to a referendum if the county council voted for the fee.
Executive Director Eric Bernard said fiscal woes won’t give the council a pass to change its mind and vote for fees, which he said are wildly unpopular with county residents.
“The analogy that because times are bad we should risk lives with an ambulance fee doesn’t hold water,” Bernard said.
He added that volunteer firefighters would spend “day and night” during this election year telling the public about council members who are “silly enough” to vote for the fees.
