SEAL BEACH : Emergency Service Fee Plan Supported
The City Council this week gave preliminary approval to an ordinance that would allow the city to recoup emergency response costs from people arrested for drunk driving or intentional criminal acts.
The law, if passed on a second vote, would allow the city to charge drivers operating under the influence of drugs and alcohol on a per-minute basis for police, firefighting, rescue or emergency medical services, Bankston said.
The ordinance also would allow the city to recover costs for determining blood-alcohol level and repairing or replacing damaged city property.
Most California cities recover costs only on accidents caused by drunk drivers, but some have also started charging for arrests or traffic incidents in which drugs and alcohol are involved and lights or sirens are used.
In a report to the council, Police Chief Bill Stearns estimated that the city could collect between $16,000 and $22,000 a year for response time and another $3,000 to $4,000 per year for the cost of administering blood tests.
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