Fire Sale "Huge Discounts"


Mayor Haakenson says the EMS Transport Fees (city's bill, if the paramedics take you to a hospital) go with the sale of the Fire Stations. Mayor's reasoning is that Mountlake Terrace didn't sell their Fire Station. Edmonds is selling 3 Fire Stations therefore the EMS transport fees go with stations.
Huh? What does this mean? Edmonds taxpayers will continue to pay for the purchase of these public assets for as long as the term of the contract. Currently Edmonds Property owners are paying a Public Safety Levy .12 per thousand property valuation, amounting to $840,000 per year to pay the bonds for fire station 17 and the public safety building. This tax will continue along with the EMS Transport Fees.

According to the September 1, 2009 Meeting Minutes, Fire District 1 is considering the option of floating bonds to be used for the 8 million dollar purchase and using Edmonds EMS Transport Fees to pay for the new public debt. This means Edmonds taxpayers will be paying this debt with our hard earned tax dollars, twice. First the Mayor has no intention to payoff the Bonds because of a punitive early payoff clause in the bond agreement. Secondly, using the Edmonds EMS Transport Fee for anything other than the actual EMS service would make the tax illegal.

The big questions is the worth of the EMS Transport Fees. New for 2009 the City budgeted revenue of $700,000 assuming 50% of the billed amount is noncollectable. Here are the 2008 figures calculated by myself using the 2008 Fire Department Annual Report.

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT NUMBER OF TRANSPORTS COST TOTAL $

1689 $475.00 = $802,275.00
ADVANCE LIFE SUPPORT NUMBER OF TRANSPORTS COST TOTAL $
597 $750.00 = $447,750.00

mileage charge

15.50 = $185,612.50

THE GRAND TOTAL $1,435,637.50


If the $700,000 budgeted amount is correct then Fire District 1 after the five year term of the contract will pay only 4.5 Million for the Fire Stations. What a incredible deal for the Fire District 1. If the First District collects 100% the final cost for the 3 Fire Stations will be 1 Million Dollars.


Ask the Mayor, where is the money? Tell Haakenson to go back to the bargaining table and bring back a credible proposal.

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