HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975 12-30 Aid for paramedics bleak, lawmakers say REVIEW Aid paramedics
by Scott Carlson G ��7
Prospects appear bleak for sustaining cost of such service. . ."
sring ande the city has
Maplewood's police paramedic program But Art Roemer,state commissioner of been a ploringce waysttol finance the ser-
by passing special legislative funding revenue, in explaining the Levy Limit vice.
which would exceed the state levy limit Board's denial,indicated that the statute The state aid would have financed the
formula, a group of legislators told the had been superseded by subsequent levy program. The bill which provided that
city council recently. limitations and therefore was no longer relief to Maplewood passed the House but
The legislators — Howard Neisen, valid.
William McCutcheon, John Milton and "Our city and city administration feel failed in the Senate.
MillerJerome Hughes—offered that dour view there is a compelling need for paramedic which thelndicatestate notifiestthe citythetof itstlevin
y
to the councilmen,City Manager Michael ambulance service," Miller stated in a limit(September)and the quick mandate
Miller,Police Chief Richard Schaller and letter to the legislators. "However, to certifythe levy
Lieutenant Dennis Cusick. without adequate funding we cannotcity Yin October oleavesmmo ate
"A local bill would have a real difficult continue to deliver or provide this ser- withslittle time tos accommodate
time getting through,"Neisen said at the vice." overruns in budget needs.
Saturday morning (Dec. 20) meeting. Miller, at the meeting, explained that The scheduling of these dates makes it
Milton added that even though most the loss of nearly P impossible referendum, know when to hold a tax
legislators would probably buy gthe con- state aids for Maplewood last stlsessin on has hasllto pointed out. A tax
cept of paramedics they probably would put a crunch on the city budget. "What referendumrto beheldbefore the
be hesitant to see an exception to the levy was to have come out of the hopper was certifying ti the annual mt is to be October)
limitation law. he PP if that additional amount is included
Maplewood city officials, in calling for came out of thel hopper d. twas tthe samead e in thet followingeproblem budget year,holdingosaid.
the meeting, asked about the prospects amount that we got last year and the But the t itwu with 00an
for special legislative funding since the before that.
yearelection is that it would cost$4,000,Miller
State Levy Limit Board has ruled that the "Frankly,gentlemen,we are hittingthe said. "That amount could well be spent
city is restricted from levying$189,000 for crunch and the only new program wcan for some of our pressingoneeds."
police paramedics in its 1976 budget. cut is the paramedic service," MillerNeisena prafelthat But Hughes,referendum would
Manager Miller had expected approval continued. He added that balanced "stand a prayer"., on e , "Ifstia
of the request for a levy limit exception budgets have been made possible onlyby referendumn all accounts,he con nk it c a
since a state statute allows the levying of aid through federal revensharingfundI thinkheknowledge was I think it could d have
"an annual tax over and above any and a total cutback onpark development I the that the peoplerhave
statutory or charter limitation and may since 1971. P w'.uld cause them to support the
also impose reasonable charge for am- The paramedic program was approved Paramedic program."
bulance services in order to finance the through enabling state legislation city would have to hold a referendum
n last Millopoiaohhowever, that for
for
twice the amount of the program to cover
any amount which might be put in escrow
as well as for funding in 1977.And he said
explaining that technicality for voters
could be confusing.
When talk turned to the possibility of
special legislation to fund the paramedic
program the prospects were not much
brighter.
Sen. Milton indicated that any bill
which is intended to allow funding outside
of the levy limit law would be critically
viewed.
He added that if a Maplewood bill was
rejected it could set back the move on the
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