Updated! Fire, EMS levy to go on ballot

" I truely hope that "get involved lives with the core area of Klamath Falls because all the outlaying areas are covered and serviced by volunteer agencies. If you call 911 these volunteers give up their time to serve their community because they want to. My hat goes off to them. If you want the paid guys coming then you will be waiting 20 minutes or more. Private ambulances are professional and do get the job done. They rely on their income not your taxes. Taxes went down because the city and county fire departments merged. Maybe "get involved" has the money to bail out all the agencies that is getting measures on ballot. Most people dont have the money to keep supporting this. KCC just had in todays H&N they have had more students. Let the students pay the higher tution. Do homeowners who pay KCC currently with taxes get a reduced tuition...dont think so... My vote is still NO. "

" All of you seriously have very good questions and deserve answers. These are public entities and we all have a right to know where the money is going. If these three haven't educated or atleast tried to educate all of us on why they need the money and where its all gone then shame on them and my vote is no. I don't give handouts!

I do feel the need to clarify some points here, though, as I have lived here for well over a decade....

First, property taxes do increase with property values, but I do hope you all remember ballot measure 50 and how the caused "compression", so most of these taxes really didn't rise like one would think, only on new construction. Also, if my memory serves me correctly, a few years ago the fire department actually lowered their taxation from $3.20 or so per $1k to the current $2.88! This was unheard of, but their board at the time was doing more with less and felt it was prudent to give the excess back. Now, years later, they must realize this was not a good idea, or maybe just bad timing.

As for clueless' comment on volunteers....you truly are clueless! There is no comparison between the two. If I call 911 because I'm having a heart attack or my house is on fire, I want someone there in 3 minutes, not 20! And as for the comment on getting better service from a private ambulance company....get a clue! Know this, you will not get better service or professionalism, but it will allow the fire dept to be free of a thorn in the side and concentrate on becoming better firefighters. "

" Property taxes for fire departments are frozen by the State and can only be increased by levys. Yes property values have increased but so have expenses at the fire department, ie a new ladder truck, 3 new ambulances in the past few years and only hiring paramedics. Meetings have been attended and to staff the running y station, they are planning on taking a crew from the station at Dairy Queen and moving them to running y. This will leave only one crew at all stations except Fred Meyers. Is this how you want your taxes spent. Call them and ask if you are paying taxes for ambulance service and then need one if it is free to tax payers. When your house is on fire they dont charge you. Your taxes cover it. Double dipping if you ask me. Your charges for ambulances wont go down...on that you can be sure. Again they have mis managed funds and now are looking to us to bail them out. What happens in 5 years when the tax levy is done and they dont have money. Time for a private ambulance to take it over and Fire District 1 to concentrate on fires. A private ambulance will manage their money and hire only people who want to be paramedics, not ones that have to be when they want to do fire. Nobody cares if you know the paramedic that comes to help you or not. You will get better service with private ambulance and pay less taxes. Some seniors cannot afford the taxes now. Will they give up food or heat or medicine in order to bail out the fire department. You decide. My vote is still no. "

" Im surprised (just a little) at the ignorance in some of these comments. Maybe if we, the public, attended the board meetings we would know what is happening in our fire department! And, as in all board meetings, we have a right to public comment. So are you gonna sit here and complain about something on a blog that will not get to the approprate people, or are you going to get up off your tushes and make a difference? I contacted the fire department about the station at Running Y and was told that it has NOTHING to do with staffing it. Again, it sounds like some of you people do not know the facts before you speak. Get educated people! *shaking head* "

" pay taxes for an ambulance and then get charged as well when you use it VOTE No "

" you cant even open the running y station If you have enough personell then why is it no opened "

" taxes,lack of funds or mismanagement

my vote is no "

" Many people have had the wool pulled over their eyes when it comes to Fire district management. District 1's problem has nothing to do with the taxes. Rather their own mismanagement of their ambulance service, lack of billing knowledge and training of new paramedics have everything to do with their money problems. They are loosing their ambulance service and this is a last ditch effort to get the tax payers to bail them out. No one will do without service. I wonder how do the volunteer agencies manage their money. Maybe it is time that the paid guys taker lessons from the volunteers. "

" You had to know I would stick my toe in this one HOT TOPIC!! No egg throwing please until you read the whole post. In another state (to remain unnamed because everyone here hates you if you are from there) where we were having this same problem, the County Grand Jury stepped in and did complete audits on all parties concerned. It was very illuminating. Can we do this here? "

" I'm Curious, this article says that the permanent rate hasn't changed in 20 years. I can understand that, but property values have risen drastically over the last 20 years, when the property values rise, so does thier revenue.

In 1991, the Klamath County real property value was 1.9 billion. In 2006, it was 6.1 billion. To me that is a huge generation of revenue for the fire deparment.

So bottom line, although the rate hasn't changed, the property values have, and I think we need better accoutablilty of funds before we say yes. "

" I agree with 'Too Many'. Those asking for the fire department levy, KCC levy and 911 levy don't get it- what happened last time everyone decided to put a bunch of levies on the ballot? Only one 'barely' passed (for the city police) and the rest failed resoundingly! Why don't you all get together and decide which ONE levy request will go on the ballot and work together to get the information out there to really show why it's needed. Take turns, don't try to selfishly cram them all on one ballot because in this county, people will simply vote no on all of them. "

" To BI:

Yes we do pay the .75 phone tax AND they are a taxing district as well so we pay an additional tax to them off our property tax. NOW they want a THIRD tax.

Enough is Enough. Sorry Michelle, you got your hackles up about this not being about 911, but the door has been opened. "

" Thanks for playing the "WERE ALL GOING TO DIE IF WE DON'T PASS THIS" card.

Shame on you, I won't be voting for it now, I hate being "held hostage" by people like you and these type of levies. "

" The cost of an ambulance, you would think that would pay for everything. Those in administration and personnel needs to step up and be an example for us, to take financial and benefit cuts. "

" I know it's not about 911, but since we're on the subject....

Don't we have a 0.75 per line 911 fee already assessed on our telephone lines? Add their normal tax income to that and I'm very curious what kind of budget they have now.

Add to THAT, that they typically have two people working there on a busy day and I'm curious where the money goes and what they need it for.

The ambulance service.... what does that cost? I honestly don't know, but I do know that if they take you to the hospital that the charges go so far beyond what your insurance will pay, that it isn't even funny. So if we're paying taxes on that, why do I have to pay to use the service? Isn't that "double taxation"?

Where does it end? Personally, I'm sick of taxes and levys. I have to make do with what I get and that's that. Where I work we have to provide the absolute best service with what we have. I think public service is no different. No attitude because the levy doesn't go, show the community you can do it with what you've got, make it work. I would get fired if I complained about money so much. "

" Too Many pots in the fire this fall. 911, KCC and the Fire department.

I can't afford it, let my house burn, I have insurance. "

" Michelle, Michelle, you sound pretty condensending there, and your attitude will only make me want to vote NO.

It's people like you that give these worthy ballot measures a bad name because you immediatley go into the hostage mode by telling us if we don't vote for this we will all die.

Well thanks to you and you playing the 'IF YOU DON'T VOTE YES YOU WILL DIE CARD", you already cost this ballot one vote.

911 did the same thing last spring and you see where that got them, I will vote NO on that one too.

I am so sick and tired of hearing people playing scare tactics with us and threatening us. People do the same thing during a robbery when they hold a gun on somebody. Shame on you. I am now voting NO and will encourage all I know to do the same because of you. "

" Michelle, Did you read one thing in my comment about not supporting the fire department? The original article did mention the 911 levy, but has since been "updated". , I love the fire department personnel, and know many of these firemen and paramedics, and they do need help, they do a great job, and I for one will vote yes, however. The original article in the Herald and News also mentioned 911 in the same article.

I don't want people to think that these are one of the same. 911 is poorly run by a director that has an open checkbook. 911 has to operate no matter if there is a tax levy or not.

So you can now get off your high horse and stop worrying about it, don't tell me how it is, I know. Hopefully most fire department personnel don't have your attitude, or it will never pass. The 911 bond is NOT GOOD for Klamath County. It's triple taxation.

I personally think Law Enforcement is just as important, and I would love to see a levy come out for them, I would vote yes on that as well, but 911 NO WAY. They are mandated by law, and there should be NO WAY that we pay 3 different taxes to this one agency. "

" OK, I started this and I guess I can add to it. I agree it has nothing to do with 911 but the sense of budgets and asking for levies in this county runs amok.
It's a matter of trust you're right! Is it time to privatize the Ambulane service? Maybe! I know you and I shouldn't be subsidizing the folks who don't pay taxes. I guess I not being charitable but I think there are limitations to one's charity.
Sorry but everyone keeps raising taxes, wants more levies, and bonds, but I'm not getting anymore in my checks.

This happen in two other places I lived in the Northwest where the local and fixed income families had to leave because the taxes were increased beyond their living wages.

If the citizens of Klamath Falls don't get a firm grasp then the only people left here will be the relocated tourists and the wealthy. "

" To OMG: Before you got on your soapbox about this, did you bother to read the actual article? If you had, you would have seen that this has NOTHING to do with 911! This has to do with Klamath County Fire District No. 1; you know, the fire trucks and ambulances that come to your house when you call 911!
The fact is that costs are increasing for everyone, including the Fire District. It costs money to maintain fire stations, to purchase new equipment that will save someone's life, and to hire and retain experienced personnal. The Fire District has tightened their belt. Eventually, it will come to laying off firefighters and closing stations.
So OMG, I hope that you never have to call 911, but if you ever do, I hope that you don't live next to a fire station that was closed due to cuts. I hope that you never have to wonder if that additional $68 a year would have saved your house from buring down or your mother, your spouse, or your childs life if the ambulance had just gotten there 5 minutes faster. "

" Budgets are easy to read, I challenge you to read the 911 budget and see for yourself the large raises that this director and her supervisors were approved over the last 3 years.

It is time to disolve the 911 board of directors and send the 911 agency to county control to stop this rogue spending. "

" To I Agree: I hope your right there with me when it comes to budgeting 101. I don't see anywhere in my experience where a huge (and I am talking HUGE) raise to this director every year is sensible budgeting.

Also: When you are attending your Budget 101 class, you might learn that 911 is a mandated service, and it has to be in existence no matter what. If we do not pass this levy, 911, will still operate, they have to by law.

So yes, when I call 911, I do expect them to dispatch the police, fire or medical to where ever I need it, even when this fails. "

" Listen up people...what you need to take a look at (with the Fire Dept.) is the amount of monies being lost due to the ambulance service. The ambulance is costing us, the tax payers, a couple hundred thousand a year. That's what we are losing!

The last (fire) chief couldn't spend money fast enough, his replacement is having a difficult time finding it.

Take a closer look at what the Districts losing on ambulance service. It's time to privatize. "

" You are better off fighting your own fires at home or at work. I cannot think of anyone more worthless than a fireman. Good luck getting this one passed!!!

Ted Nugent for President! "

" Agreed OMG. They say the tax rate hasn't gone up in 20 years, but certainly the assessed value of the properties has gone up by a considerable margin. Why isn't that enough of an increase? "

" I agree with Dave. People dont care about emergency services but yet they would be the first to complain when services are cut or it takes too long for emergency services to reach them. As far as 911 goes, maybe OMG should go to budgeting 101 so he understands hows budgets are prepaired & how to read them. "

" No Dave, We people that make comments think about the inapproptiate use of our money being used now, and wonder why we should give them more.

If you want facts, ask to see the last 3 years of 911 budget, and you will see the humougous increase in wages this 911 board have approved for this director and her supervisors.

If the funds were not being misused, I would more than happy to support this. If you don't believe me, get the budget. "

" Sometimes I wonder what people think when they make comments, maybe of a boat trip around the lake they may have to give up for a fast and quality care response by an emergency response agency. Do people even care about their neighbors anymore or do they care more about how much they have to give up? "

" Sorry! But with the economy like the way it is you want us to pay more taxes? I mean you really got some guts to ask.
You got to start pulling your purse strings tighter just like the rest of us. "