There is a shocking amount of misinformation being spread about the EMS levy. Some of it is just outright lying. The critical facts are these. The current EMS levy expires at the end of the year. To keep the ambulances running and the paramedics showing up at your door when you need them we have to pass a new levy.

The new levy is forty-five cents ($0.45) per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. That’s seven cents ($0.07) more than the current levy. So a $500,000 property will pay $35 more per year. That’s because the cost of all the things EMS needs to function – medications, medical devices, equipment – has gone up since we passed the current levy five years ago. We need to renew EMS funding. It’s that simple. And EMS, unlike the fire department, has produced a detailed budget so you can see exactly how your money will be spent. Go to www.sjcphd.com

Voting “no” will not “save EMS,” as the opponents’ signs assert. Voting no will put EMS in real jeopardy and will pose a real risk for our community. The small group spreading misinformation and lies wants you to believe that if you vote no the fire department will just take over EMS and we’ll all live happily ever after. It won’t happen. Legally, Fire cannot just take over the EMS budget, equipment and personnel. They’ll have to pass their own levy and they’ll have to negotiate with the Public Hospital District. All of that will take time.

Contrary to what they’ve stated on their website, fire does not have an Advanced Life Support license nor do they have a transport license. They don’t have paramedics, they don’t have ambulances and they can’t haul you to the hospital. We need to maintain a fully functional EMS. To do that we need to renew the EMS levy.

The voters wisely rejected the bloated fire levy last November. The next step is to continue funding for our existing excellent EMS. Please, for the health and safety of our community Vote YES to Renew EMS. Your life could depend on it.

Susan Grout

Friday Harbor