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Show State Legislation: Help Paramedics? By MARK D. MICKELSEN FARMINGTON State legislation enabling counties to establish separate mill levies for paramedic service is being hailed by at least one county official as a possible solution to funding problems faced by Davis paramedics. N ACCORDING to Com. Harry B. Gerlach, Ger-lach, a law passed by the 1 98 1 Utah Legisl-. Legisl-. ature which takes effect Jan. I, 1982 will allow the county to set up a separate mill levy to fund paramedic services. Plans for the additional mill levy, however, howev-er, must be approved by residents of the county in a special referendum election. PLANS FOR the additional mill levy, however, must be approved by residents of the county in a special referendum election. elec-tion. "OL'R MAIN concern regarding the paramedic pa-ramedic program is its cost and its pressure on the general fund," Com. Gerlach said in a telephone interview Tuesday. He also said that as the county grows and takes on more residents additional paramedic para-medic vehicles will have to be bought-at a cost of $200.000-$300,000 to the county. SHERIFF'S department representatives were told several weeks ago by the commission com-mission to halt further training of paramedics para-medics until budget problems within the program are resolved. At that time, Com. Gerlach said he would like to see the cities who receive county paramedic service help pay for some of the costs of the program. PARAMEDIC service costs the county between $300,000 and $400,K)0 a year and is currently administered through the Sheriffs Sher-iffs department. Com. Gerlach said newly-passed legislation legisla-tion will provide for a county wide mill levy in which each city "will participate equally." PREYIOIS legislation allowed separate mill levies for paramedic protection only if the program was administered as a part of the existing fire department. Com. Gerlach said county officials are currently looking into the possibility of a special March referendum election in which residents will be asked whether or not they support the mill levy idea. "IF IT (referendum) passes in February," Febru-ary," he said, "we'll leave the paramedics just as they are." As yet, a date has not been set for the election, however. THE COMMISSIONER said the cities are receiving 90 percent of the service provided pro-vided through the paramedic program and must be more actively involved in funding. Weber County w hose paramedic program prog-ram is facing similar difficulties is also considering a 1982 referendum election and the establishment of a separate mill levy. COM. GFRLACH said he hopes news reports about the two referendums will spawn positive support from both Davis and Weber County residents. |