Cole Camp Ambulance District was established in 1982 as a citizen-focused organization dedicated to safeguarding the lives of those who reside in Benton and Pettis Counties by providing safe, cost-effective and reliable ambulance service 24 hours-a-day. The District provides services to approximately 4,180 individuals spanning across a territory of nearly 320 square miles. The voters passed a sales tax in 2002 which provided funds for the addition of adding Paramedics to the service making them able to provide Advance Life Support care. Annually, the District responds to more than 600 requests for services, resulting in an average of 380 patient transports. In addition to emergency 911 ambulance service; the District also provides medical stand-by service at various area high school and community events. Since the pandemic the cost of operations has grown in some areas about 30%. We rely heavily on Medical payments in the form of Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance. The District also has a Property Tax of $0.28 per $100 assessed value and a ½ cent sales tax. We are asking voters on August 6th to vote “yes” on the increase to $0.48 per $100 assessed value.
Over the last couple of years the cost of medical supplies has risen over 20%. Cost of equipment has risen almost 30%. Employee costs have risen 19% across the nation due to shortages of qualified individuals. These costs over the last couple of years, has been absorbed by the District applying for ARPA and Covid funds, but those funds have dried up and the costs have not gone back down. The Board of Directors has looked at cutting back but there are very few areas that can be cut back without decreasing services. The District has operated on around a $500,000.00, so when we lose $15,000 in billing and $25,000 in sales tax a year our income budget is cut by nearly 10%. That is what has been happening the last couple of years. Then you add increase in medical supplies. This is why the Board of Directors have to ask the voters for their support.
The District proposes an increase to its current tax levy of $0.28 per $100 assessed value of an additional $0.20 per $100 assessed value. If the levy passes, the funds will be used to continue current district operations with no cutback to services, will allow the lease/purchase of an ambulance replacing our twelve year old ambulance, would also allow the district to set money back for future replacement of cardiac monitors. If the levy passes will allow the district discounts for residents to continue and will leave in place our current policy of no charge service calls for people who do not need to be transported. The levy increase may also provide some additional service in the future that we are currently unable to provide due to funding, which could include an additional ambulance during peak times of the year. If the levy does not pass then the district will have to look at reducing some of the services we now provide.
In August of this year the Ambulance District will hold a Public hearing to set Tax Levy for 2025. At that time the Board of Directors will set the levy based on the outcome of the Ballot results. It will then be applied to property Tax for 2025. The Tax levy, if it is passed, would just about double what a person paid in 2024 to the Ambulance District. So if you paid $20.00 to the Ambulance District in 2024, you would pay about $42.00 in 2025. The purpose of the proposed activities is to increase the cost-effectiveness of the Districts operations and to enhance the quality of service being provided to the District’s residents. The Tax Levy Proceeds will be going towards operating expenses, equipment and vehicles. The District is owned and operated by the residents of the District. What level of emergency services will be provided is the decision of the District residents when they go to the Polls.
