Tracy firefighter-paramedic Andrew Sansaver checks the paramedic gear for a paramedic engine company that operates out of Station 94 at Schulte and Hansen roads. There will soon be a fee charged for firefighter-provided paramedic services in certain local areas. Press file photo
The City Council voted this summer to charge Tracy residents a $300 fee every time a firefighter gives aid during an emergency medical call.
But it asked for a private company to handle billing residents, and four responded, Tracy Fire Department Chief Chris Bosch said. The companies vying for the contract are medical billing companies, he added.
The council is expected to choose one of the four companies at its Nov. 17 meeting, according to the fire chief.
At a time of falling sales and property tax income for the city, the fee is a way to raise money for the department.
Both the Tracy Rural Fire Department and the board of the Mountain House Community Services District, which recently voted to increase taxes there by 4 percent, voted not to adopt the new fee.
Tracy Rural’s department already had a fee for out-of-town residents, and its board voted to go ahead and raise that fee to $300, the same as Tracy’s fire department.
It rejected the fee for residents inside the district’s boundaries, however, as did the Mountain House board, which means Tracy residents will pay $300 for the same service that those who call for help outside city limits get for no extra fee.
The city will offer a $48-per-year rate to help ease the cost of paramedics for those who may require assistance. If someone in Tracy pays the yearly rate, that person can call a firefighter paramedic as many times as needed with no extra charge.
Also, low-income residents will get a break on the yearly rate. They’ll pay $36 per year if the council votes to OK the fee next month.
Tracy will try to market its fee by mailing fliers with water bills and through newspaper and other advertising.
Bosch said he expects the fee to generate as much as $650,000 for the fire department, which responds to about 6,000 calls per year, 4,200 of which are emergency medical calls, he said.
The company that wins the bid will be paid through the fee as well, receiving 15 percent of each bill it collects.
but $48 isnt really all that much...and better than 300 if your neighbor calls for you sleeping on your lawn or if you really do need EMS. Also, if you call 911.. the dispatcher MUST send fire and EMS.. and FYI.. you might be waiting a while for AMR to show up.. I know, I used to work for them. It's not a great idea, but the FD is one of the few possible revenue generators in the city. As you can see, the PD stopped responding to minor thefts and makes you post online for a report. Why, too many people, not enough officers. and too many people not paying taxes that use the services... MOST of the EMS calls are generated from low or no income people. I said most, not all. BUT it's good to have when you need them. Again, I dont agree with the "paramedic tax" but at least now i actually have a firefighter paramedic responding to my house when I'm gone or if I'm the one hurt. Before the Shulte Station was only EMT... If the city is charging for "paramedics" then they better have one on each engine that goes on medical calls.
It's $36 IF you qualify for the low income CARE program PG&E offers. If not, it's $48 per year. AND if you have health insurance, your health insurance company will be billed for the remainder of the $300 response fee each and every time the Fire Dept. responds to a medical emergency. There are also no assurances that the money collected for this program will be earmarked for the Fire Dept. Nowhere in the staff reports regarding this issue does it say this money is going anywhere except the General Fund. General Fund monies pay for Public Safety AND City Attorney, City Manager, Human Resources, Community Services, Community Development, Finance and anything else not covered by an Enterprise (revenue generating) Fund.
And let's not forget the Council is already discussing a PARCEL TAX specifically for Public Safety that we the property owners will be asked to vote on in about a year.
Hopefully you (and anyone else who thinks "it's only $36) will think again before you give City staff and the Council a "pass" on using the Fire Dept. (and Police for that matter) to tug at our heart and purse strings to tap into an already close to empty well -- namely each of our own personal income!!!
Yes, out property tax pays for our emergency service. This is a form of double taxation.
Cindy Adams
Gee all this time I thought my property taxes were paying for this service for the past 45 years.
I guess the some department needs a wage increase or another fully paid benefit so rather than try and slip another wage increase (fully paid benefits as also called a wage increase) past us they decided to add a fee to everyone well most every one? So how is that going to work if you’re poor and renting? Your landlord will have to pay $125.00 so what is the city going to do give a rebate the poor $90.00?
As I’ve said before the City of Tracy needs to learn to live within their means. Just in case the City of Tracy doesn’t know what that means. Well let me tell you what it means to me. I make $1.00 so I can only spent $1.00. I can’t spend $2.00, as I’ll be over drawn on my bank account. That’s what’s called living within your means.
Just for the record how much of the city budget goes to the employees through wages, benefits and perks (my guess is 75% ). Perks you ask, well that’s when a city employee gets to take a city vehicle home so he or she can use it for city business or personal use. Personal use is stopping by the store to pick up an 18 pack of beer or a gal of milk on your way home.
Let us not forget that the City of Tracy is also going after another tax for what I understand is only $125.00 per house? What tax are they going to come up with next to balance the budget? I know a sales tax on the property taxes we pay. Just think at 8.75% tax on all property taxes they could make a killing on us? If your paying $3,000.00 a year in property taxes add the 8.75% and you’ll be paying $3,262.50 a year.