NOTICE TO THE TAX PAYERS OF THE TOWN OF COLUMBUS
THERE WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING AND SPECIAL ELECTION
REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AMBULANCE DISTRICT FOR THE TOWN OF COLUMBUS.
A special Informational Meeting about the Columbus Ambulance District will be held on January 9, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the Columbus Town Hall. Please come with your questions.
A Special Election on the referendum to establish the Columbus Ambulance District will be held on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 by paper ballot. The vote will be held at the Columbus Town Hall between the hours of 12:00 Noon EST to 8:00 p.m.
· The “Ambulance District” should not be confused with the “Ambulance Service”. An Ambulance District will allow you to see how much you pay for EMS right on your property tax bill.
This amount is now part of your Fire Tax, and if the Ambulance District vote is passed, you will see the amount for Fire and EMS separated.
· The establishment of the ambulance district is for the purpose of collecting taxes for ambulance services only. The result of the district is that every taxpayer will pay the same tax rate over the entire town for ambulance services.
· The approval of the district does not approve the purchase of any equipment or ambulances. It does not choose what services to use. It does allow the Town to contract for services.
· This vote on whether to establish an ambulance district does not allow for the amount of tax dollars to be collected. The tax revenues to be collected will still need to be established and approved each year by the Town Board as part of the Town budget process as it does now.
“Ambulance district” - Under Town Law articles 12 or 12-A, a town may establish ambulance districts to provide emergency medical service, general ambulance service or a combination of such services within the boundaries of the district. Once an ambulance district is established, the board is authorized, inter alia, to contract on behalf of the district with one or more qualified organizations for the operation, maintenance and repair of emergency medical service or ambulance vehicles, and for the furnishing of pre-hospital emergency treatment
Town Law, §§202(3) and 202-a(1) provide that the costs of establishment and operation and maintenance of an ambulance district "shall" be assessed against the properties within the district on an ad valorem basis. Pursuant to Town Law, §198(10-f)(b), however, the town board is also authorized to fix a schedule of fees or charges to be paid by persons requesting use of ambulance district facilities, provide for the collection of such fees and charges, or formulate rules and regulations for the collection thereof by the entities furnishing services under contract. This provision authorizes the town to charge fees on a per call basis to users of the district's ambulance services
"Ambulance Service" is defined by Article 30 of the New York State Public Health Law as: "an individual, partnership, association, corporation, municipality or any legal or public entity or subdivision thereof engaged in providing emergency medical care and transportation of sick or injured persons by motor vehicle, aircraft or other forms of transportation to, from, or between hospitals or other health care facilities".
VOTING QUALIFICATIONS
1. YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER
2. YOU MUST BE A PROPERTY, DEEDED LAND OWNER OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY. A HUSBAND AND WIFE MAY EACH HAVE A VOTE IF THE PROPERTY IS OWNED “BY THE ENTIRETY’’
3. YOU ARE ENTITLED TO ONE VOTE, NO MATTER HOW MANY PARCELS YOU MAY OWN
4. A CORPORATION, LLC, ETC. IS ENTITLED TO ONE VOTE, IF THE PROPERTY IS TAXABLE
THERE WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING AND SPECIAL ELECTION
REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AMBULANCE DISTRICT FOR THE TOWN OF COLUMBUS.
A special Informational Meeting about the Columbus Ambulance District will be held on January 9, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the Columbus Town Hall. Please come with your questions.
A Special Election on the referendum to establish the Columbus Ambulance District will be held on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 by paper ballot. The vote will be held at the Columbus Town Hall between the hours of 12:00 Noon EST to 8:00 p.m.
· The “Ambulance District” should not be confused with the “Ambulance Service”. An Ambulance District will allow you to see how much you pay for EMS right on your property tax bill.
This amount is now part of your Fire Tax, and if the Ambulance District vote is passed, you will see the amount for Fire and EMS separated.
· The establishment of the ambulance district is for the purpose of collecting taxes for ambulance services only. The result of the district is that every taxpayer will pay the same tax rate over the entire town for ambulance services.
· The approval of the district does not approve the purchase of any equipment or ambulances. It does not choose what services to use. It does allow the Town to contract for services.
· This vote on whether to establish an ambulance district does not allow for the amount of tax dollars to be collected. The tax revenues to be collected will still need to be established and approved each year by the Town Board as part of the Town budget process as it does now.
“Ambulance district” - Under Town Law articles 12 or 12-A, a town may establish ambulance districts to provide emergency medical service, general ambulance service or a combination of such services within the boundaries of the district. Once an ambulance district is established, the board is authorized, inter alia, to contract on behalf of the district with one or more qualified organizations for the operation, maintenance and repair of emergency medical service or ambulance vehicles, and for the furnishing of pre-hospital emergency treatment
Town Law, §§202(3) and 202-a(1) provide that the costs of establishment and operation and maintenance of an ambulance district "shall" be assessed against the properties within the district on an ad valorem basis. Pursuant to Town Law, §198(10-f)(b), however, the town board is also authorized to fix a schedule of fees or charges to be paid by persons requesting use of ambulance district facilities, provide for the collection of such fees and charges, or formulate rules and regulations for the collection thereof by the entities furnishing services under contract. This provision authorizes the town to charge fees on a per call basis to users of the district's ambulance services
"Ambulance Service" is defined by Article 30 of the New York State Public Health Law as: "an individual, partnership, association, corporation, municipality or any legal or public entity or subdivision thereof engaged in providing emergency medical care and transportation of sick or injured persons by motor vehicle, aircraft or other forms of transportation to, from, or between hospitals or other health care facilities".
VOTING QUALIFICATIONS
1. YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER
2. YOU MUST BE A PROPERTY, DEEDED LAND OWNER OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY. A HUSBAND AND WIFE MAY EACH HAVE A VOTE IF THE PROPERTY IS OWNED “BY THE ENTIRETY’’
3. YOU ARE ENTITLED TO ONE VOTE, NO MATTER HOW MANY PARCELS YOU MAY OWN
4. A CORPORATION, LLC, ETC. IS ENTITLED TO ONE VOTE, IF THE PROPERTY IS TAXABLE
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