Statement On Proposed Ambulance Fee

The Montgomery County Council will shortly be called upon to decide whether to impose an Emergency Medical Services Transport Fee (ambulance fee) Bill # 25-08, as proposed by the County Executive.

This proposal has engendered considerable concern in our community: concern that the fee to be collected from insurers could deter some in need of ambulance service from calling for assistance, concern about the impact on fire and rescue volunteer responders fundraising efforts, and concern about how the fee collection could impact insurance rates.

While I do not share all of these concerns, I do believe it is critically important that we support the invaluable service that our fire and rescue volunteers provide to our community in conjunction with our fire and rescue career professionals. In Bethesda for example, the BCC Rescue Squad is staffed by volunteers who respond to the vast majority of calls for ambulance service. As a drive past any of those stations that are owned by the volunteer companies makes clear, volunteers are passionately opposed to this fee.

Just as I concluded that the slot machine proposal was an inappropriate way for the State of Maryland to raise revenues, I have concluded that our budgetary fears do not justify imposition of a fee that poses an unacceptable threat to one of our most vibrant and significant community-based organizations. Finally, I am convinced that this fee, if imposed, would be overturned by the voters in a referendum vote, which the volunteers have vowed to pursue as evidenced by their press events.

Therefore, if and when this Bill comes to the Council for a decision, I will vote no.

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