LWV League of Women Voters of California
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Marin County, CA November 5, 2002 Election
Measure Q
Paramedic Special Tax
Sleepy Hollow Fire District

962 / 92.3% Yes votes ...... 80 / 7.7% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Nov 21 1:20pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (4/4)
68.8% Voter Turnout (1085/1577)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

Shall the resolution of the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District continuing the special tax for paramedic services in an amount not to exceed thirty dollars ($30.00) per year for each living unit as a basic charge be confirmed and the appropriations limit be set at the proceeds of said tax plus the amounts charged for ambulance transport for the next four (4) years?

Impartial Analysis
If this Measure is approved by two-thirds of the voters, the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District shall be authorized to continue to levy a special tax for paramedic services of not to exceed Thirty Dollars ($30.00) per year for each living unit as a basic charge and the appropriations limit shall be set at an amount equal to the proceeds of said tax plus the amount charged for ambulance transport for each of the next four (4) years.

Dated: August 22, 2002

PATRICK K. FAULKNER
County Counsel

 
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Arguments For Measure Q
The Ross Valley Paramedic Authority (RVPA) was founded in 1983 to provide paramedic services to communities of the Ross Valley. Every four years since then, the voters have overwhelmingly approved the special tax that funds the RVPA. To continue the high standard of emergency response, you must again approve this tax measure. In the last election, Sleepy Hollow voters gave the highest support of any community.

Over the years, the number of 9 1 1 calls and the number of ambulance transports have increased. Transports now take longer because of traffic congestion. Four years ago, a second ambulance went into service in Corte Madera, greatly improving service in the south end of the Ross Valley.

A year ago, the Marin County Fire Department agreed to respond to emergency calls in Fairfax and Sleepy Hollow with the paramedic ambulance stationed in Woodacre, when the RVPA ambulance stationed in Ross was unavailable.

The Ross Valley Fire Department has begun a program to staff a first-response fire engine with a paramedic-firefighter. The RVPA is paying the training costs and salary differential for this improved emergency response.

To provide improved service without increasing the parcel tax, the RVPA has been charging patient's insurance companies for Advanced Life Support (ALS) transport to hospitals.

If this tax measure is approved, the $30.00 maximum paramedic parcel tax would continue. The maximum has been $30.00 for the past eleven years. The actual parcel tax is set each year to cover the RVPA's operating costs.

The parcel tax covers the costs of standby service, 9 1 1 responses, ambulance(s), defibrillators, and paramedic training. The transport charge to the insurance companies covers the actual cost of responding and transporting patients to the hospital. The parcel tax provides about half of the funding.

Please vote "YES" for the RVPA parcel tax. In these troubled times, this is a vital service. I have served on the RVPA board of directors since it began. If you have any questions, please call me at 454-2923.

s/ Frank Berto, President
Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District

(No arguments against Measure Q were submitted)


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Created: December 6, 2002 03:14 PST
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