Measure P: Paramedic Advanced Life Support Fire Engines and Ambulance Special Tax

This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/alm/ for current information.

League of Women Voters of California Education Fund

Alameda County, CA

November 2, 2010 Election

Measure P
Paramedic Advanced Life Support Fire Engines and Ambulance Special Tax
City of Albany
2/3 Approval Required

Pass: 4169 / 72.03% Yes votes ...... 1619 / 27.97% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Jan 6 2:56pm, 100.00% of Precincts Reporting (13/13)

Information shown below: Yes/No Meaning | Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

Shall the Albany Municipal Code, Chapter 4-8 entitled "Paramedic Advanced Life Support Fire Engines and Ambulance Special Tax" be amended, as set forth in the Voter Pamphlet, to provide that the City Council may increase the tax commencing in fiscal year 2011-2012 in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for the greater San Francisco area?

A YES vote on this measure means:: A "Yes" vote would approve the proposed Measure, allowing an annual adjustment commencing in fiscal year 2011-2012 in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for the greater San Francisco area to the Paramedic Advanced Life Support Fire Engines and Ambulance Special Tax.
A NO vote on this measure means:: A "No" vote would reject the proposed measure allowing for an annual adjustment to the Paramedic Advanced Life Support Fire Engines and Ambulance Special Tax.

Impartial Analysis from City Attorney

A "Yes" vote would approve the proposed Measure, allowing an annual adjustment commencing in fiscal year 2011-2012 in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for the greater San Francisco area to the Paramedic Advanced Life Support Fire Engines and Ambulance Special Tax.

A "No" vote would reject the proposed measure allowing for an annual adjustment to the Paramedic Advanced Life Support Fire Engines and Ambulance Special Tax.

This is a special tax to fund the Paramedic Advanced Life Support Fire Engines and Ambulance. The California Constitution requires a 2/3 approval of the voters voting.

Background
In 2000, the voters approved a special tax to support the costs of a program for advanced life support for fire engines, ambulances, and credentialed employees. The tax is imposed as a parcel tax. The average residential parcel pays $18.00 per year. At the time this tax was approved, the ordinance did not contain a provision for adjusting this amount to reflect cost of living increases. The tax has not been adjusted since its inception.

Proposed Modification
If approved, commencing fiscal year 2011-2012, the City Council could increase the base tax by the increase in the CPI each year.

Fiscal Impact
The base rate of the present tax for a single family residential property is $18.00 per year. If this Measure is approved, the base rate would be adjusted by the percentage increase in the CPI. lf there was a 1% increase in the CPI, the tax base rate would be adjusted to $18.18. In subsequent years the base rate would continue to be adjusted according to the percentage increase in the CPI.

The base rate for commercial property is $200.00 per year. If this Measure is approved, the base rate would be adjusted by the percentage increase in the CPI. lf there was a 1% increase in the CPI, the tax base rate would be adjusted to $202.00. In subsequent year the base rate increase in the CPI.

s/ROBERT ZWEBEN
City Attorney

This election is archived. Any links to sources outside of Smart Voter may no longer be active. No further links will be added to this page.

Links to sources outside of Smart Voter are provided for information only and do not imply endorsement.

Arguments For Measure P

Albany is one of the few cities with an emergency medical response time of fewer than four minutes. Our own fire department gives constant care to residents from the time they arrive on the scene until the ambulance reaches the hospital, which means high quality medical care from door to door.
Most other fire departments respond to 911 calls and then turn patients over to a private ambulance company for transport. With the funds for our two Albany paramedic transport engines, residents are taken to the hospital by Albany firefighter paramedics trained in advanced life support.
To accommodate increasing costs, Measure P seeks an annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase to the current $18 assessment. This is about $0.53 per year for each residential and commercial unit. Using the average annual CPI for the last ten years, 2.6 percent, the projected approximate increase will be $5.26 total for the next ten years. Thus the projected fee would be a modest $23.26 in 2020.
Albany's Advanced Life Support medical response saves lives. Please join the Albany City Council and us in voting yes for Measure P and for the highest quality medical transport care.
s/Joanne Wile
Mayor City of Albany
s/Jewel Okawachi
Former Mayor
s/Marc McGinn
Fire Chief
s/Charles L. Blanchard
Former President, Board of Education, Albany
s/Jon Ely
Former Mayor

(No arguments against Measure P were submitted)

Alameda Home Page || Statewide Links || About Smart Voter || Feedback

Created: January 6, 2011 14:57 PST
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund http://cavotes.org
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.