Over the past several levy renewal cycles the Quad Ambulance District Board of Directors have considered requesting an increase due to rising expenses and little to no increases in revenues. In the past the board has opted to look for additional revenues from other sources. Quad has looked at merging with neighboring departments, much like some fire departments in the area have done. These mergers have fallen short of expectations and not materialized as hoped. Grants have been and will continue to be a great source, but are not guaranteed and often times fall short of making any real impact on increased revenues from a year-to-year projection.
Quad has not asked their residents for additional funding since a 5-mil levy was passed in 2006 for full-time staffing. Essentially, it has been nearly 15 years since Quad has asked for a raise. Since 2006 the cost to operate a full-service advanced life support department has increased substantially. A new ambulance in 2006 cost roughly $130,000. Today a similar ambulance costs over $200,000. Cost for equipment required by the State of Ohio has increased as well. A heart monitor/defibrillator costs $30,000. An ambulance cot is nearly $40,000.
The time has come to ask for a raise, which is a little complicated given Quad’s current tax levy structure. Presently two tax levies exist to fund Quad, a 5-mil staffing levy and a 2-mil operations levy. These two levies combined generate about 5.3-mils due to neither of them being replaced, only renewed over a long period of time. Replacing both of them to their original mils is likely too much of an increase given the recent property reevaluation. Adding a third levy only seemed to make Quad’s funding more complicated.
Quad is requesting a replacement of the current 5-mil levy with a 6-mil levy this November. If this levy passes, Quad will petition the Stark County Budget Commission to drop the 2-mil levy once Quad begins receiving the increased revenues. If the budget commission does not approve, the 2-mil levy will not be renewed when it expires.
In the short term, Quad will use the increase for capital expenditures. This includes replacing apparatus and expensive medical equipment as needed. In the long term, Quad will use the increase to offset rising personnel costs. This includes policies beyond the control of the department, like minimum wage increases, insurance, workers compensation, etc.
The negative side of not procuring an increase in revenues is difficult to see and only comes at specific moments. For example, as equipment ages it needs maintained more and has an increased chance of failure. It is this failure and down time to repair the equipment that creates the moment of negativity for the department and ultimately for the residents. There comes a point when replacing aging equipment is the ethical and moral thing to do rather than risk failure when it is needed most. The same is true with personnel costs. If the department does not meet the demands of the workforce within a given geographical area, the workforce will move to a different department. Turnover and staffing shortages create these moments where the best coverage is not available when it may be needed most.
Quad Ambulance thanks the voters for their continued support.