Anaheim : Council to Vote on Fee for Paramedic Service

Whether paramedic service will remain free in the city is scheduled for a vote today.

City Council members are expected to decide whether to begin charging a yearly $24 subscription fee for the emergency service. Non-subscribers and visitors to the city would pay between $75 and $125 per visit if council members accept a proposal by Fire Chief Bob Simpson.

Simpson said the revenue is needed to offset the $2.7-million cost of the city’s emergency system. Part of that tab is attributable to what Simpson termed “Band-Aid” calls, or the non-emergency calls that make up 80% of those received by paramedics, he said.

Responding to a Chamber of Commerce letter opposing the subscription fee, Simpson said Monday that he doesn’t expect $24 will “impose a hardship on anyone.” The fire chief said he recommends that a committee with council members and citizens decide on an individual basis cases that claim hardship.

“Under no circumstance will we deny anybody care,” Simpson said.

Council members meeting at 9:30 a.m. today also are scheduled to:

Vote on a proposed review of the city’s business license tax, which has not been raised in 27 years. Some council members criticized the review at last week’s meeting and said it would translate to an increase in the tax.

Continue a rehearing on conditions of approval for a proposal to build a 17-story hotel, 14-story office complexes and 180-unit condominium towers at 300 W. Katella Ave.

Discuss whether to authorize expenditures of $60,848 for additions and remodeling of the Utility Control Center at Lewis Substation.