Monday, May 13, 2013
Montgomery County Council meets most Tuesdays in Rockville.
Montgomery County Council members will begin to discuss how to spend revenue collected from an ambulance fund that took effect this January at its next meeting, planned for Tuesday, May 14, at 9:30 a.m. in Rockville. The fund is the result of a law passed in 2012 that allows the county to collect fees from the insurance companies of patients transported by emergency medical services (EMS). It was defeated in a 2010 voter referendum, Patch previously reported, but reintroduced and passed by the County Council. County Executive Isiah Leggett submitted a proposal to allocate 15 percent of the revenue to the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association, the group that runs local volunteer fire and rescue stations. If approved, about $2.…
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
How did the county wind up with an ambulance fee?
Earlier this month, Montgomery County and the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association announced it had signed an agreement that effectively ended the volunteer firefighters’ fight against an ambulance fee passed by the Montgomery County Council. This is Part Two of a two-part “Q & A” about the fee. Answers are taken from a county website with questions and answers about the new law, from Patch reports on the fee and from other local media, as noted. Click here to read Part One. Part Two discusses how the agreement on the fee came to pass: Q: Why is the county doing this now? A: “Montgomery County is about to be hit by a ‘tidal wave’ from Annapolis,” the county website says. The Maryland General Assembly in May approved a 50-…
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
What does the county's ambulance fee mean for you?
Earlier this month, Montgomery County and the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association announced it had signed an agreement that effectively ended the volunteer firefighters’ fight against an ambulance fee passed by the Montgomery County Council. In the days following the announcement, county officials worried that their message was not being heard and that some media reports had, in the words of Montgomery Fire Chief Richard Bowers, given “the impression that, starting in January, everyone will have to pay for an ambulance ride in Montgomery County.” “Nothing is further from the truth,” Bowers said in an email to Patch. Bowers referred residents to a county website with information about the fee. The website, at www.…
Monday, August 13, 2012
Volunteers and county reach agreement on funding; fee will take effect Jan. 1.
Montgomery County volunteer firefighters signed an agreement with the county on Monday that volunteers say will avoid a repeat of the 2010 ambulance fee referendum and allow the fee to take effect in January. The County Council approved the fee in May, 18 months after county voters rejected it by a 54-percent-to-46-percent margin in a 2010 ballot question. The county projects that the fee will generate $18 million a year that will go to additional fire and rescue service staffing, training, apparatus, facilities and equipment. “The bottom line is that the residents here in the county will be served much better because of the enhancements that will be made to the fire and rescue service with this EMS reimbursement,” said Montgomery County…
Friday, May 18, 2012
Operating budget for fiscal 2013 set to be formally adopted May 24.
The Montgomery County Council tentatively agreed Thursday on a $4.6 billion county operating budget for fiscal 2013. The budget, along with a construction spending plan through fiscal year 2018, is set for formal approval May 24. “Our priorities have been, and will continue to be, our world-class school system, public safety, safety net service and growing our economy. This budget reflects that,” Council President Roger Berliner (D-Dist 1) said in a statement. The plan is based on a $4.57 billion budget proposed in March by County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), which included a $200 million spending boost and increased funding for police, firefighters, libraries and youth programs. Council members reached the budget agreement unanimously. …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The measure was overturned by referendum in 2010 and brought back up by County Executive Isiah Leggett this session.
Despite voters striking down the Montgomery County ambulance fee in a referendum on the ballot in 2010, Montgomery County Council passed the fee again Tuesday with a 6-3 vote. Several councilmembers said there was a misinformation campaign surrounding the 2010 referendum vote. Councilmembers Councilman Phil Andrews (D, Dist-3), Roger Berliner (D-Dist. 1) and George Leventhal (D-At Large) were opposed. While Andrews implored councilmembers to respect the will of the voters, some of the county lawmakers were disturbed at how voters were educated about the ambulance fee. Many residents who voted against the fee thought county residents would have to pay the $300 to $800 fee per ambulance ride, Councilman Mark Elrich (D-At Large) said. “That’s…
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
The measure was defeated once in 2010.
It's deja vu for Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and many residents. The County Council is asking residents to speak out May 8 at 7:30 p.m. on Leggett's proposal to implement an ambulance fee, a measure that was defeated by voters after a contentious debate in 2010. The fee would authorize the county to impose and collect a reimbursement to recover costs generated by providing emergency medical services transports, according to a Montgomery County Council news release. During the November 2010 county elections, a similar measure was defeated 53.83 percent to 46.17 percent. The fee would have generated $14 million toward the county's budget shortfall according to supporters, but those against the fee said it would deter people …
Friday, April 27, 2012
Montgomery County is one of the few jurisdictions in the nation that does not charge ambulance fees, but that could be about to change.
Montgomery County is the only jurisdiction in the Washington, D.C., region that does not charge ambulance fees, thanks to a 2010 referendum in which county voters rejected the fees after the fees had been approved by the county council. That referendum could be reversed this year by the county council, The Gazette reported. County Executive Ike Leggett favors the fees as a way to help bring in revenue. As a courtesy to Leggett, Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner introduced the executive's legislation to establish a fee earlier this month. "The executive has asked the council to reconsider the fee in light of state actions that have intruded on council taxing authority and the looming possibility of a shift in half of …
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Isiah Leggett discusses the ambulance fee, which was voted down on Nov. 2.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Despite a countywide push from Leggett and Bowers, voters shoot down fee for ambulance rides.
A contentious ballot measure to charge for ambulance rides in Montgomery County was voted down in Tuesday's general election. With all 248 precincts reporting the ambulance fee referendum was defeated 53.83 percent to 46.17 percent. The fee would have generated $14 million toward the county's budget shortfall according to supporters, but those against the fee said it would deter people from calling ambulances. The county will have to find the $14 million elsewhere and County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), who was a big supporter of the fee, said the money would come from cuts to fire and rescue services. Leggett's spokesman, Patrick Lacefield, said the county executive was not trying to stir up fear by saying 11 ambulances would be …
Costco Gas Man
5:28 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
You jest, but that's most likely where It will go. more ›