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King County Local Voters Pamphlet
November 6, 2001 General Election
PROPOSITION NO. 1
MEDIC ONE - EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
RENEWAL OF EXISTING REGULAR PROPERTY TAX LEVY
| BALLOT
TITLE |
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PROPOSITION NO. 1
MEDIC ONE - EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
RENEWAL OF EXISTING REGULAR
PROPERTY TAX LEVY
The King County Council adopted Ordinance No.
14170 proposing to impose regular property tax
levies of $0.25 or less per thousand dollars of
assessed valuation for each of six consecutive
years for the continued provision of existing Medic
One emergency medical services. Shall this proposition
be:
Approved
__ Rejected __
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| EXPLANATORY
STATEMENT |
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If approved by the voters, Proposition No. 1 would authorize King County to levy a
regular property tax at a rate of $0.25 or less per one thousand dollars of assessed
valuation on all taxable property within the county for the purposes of providing
emergency medical services. The levy would be authorized for a six-year period, with
collection beginning in 2002.
The City of Seattle operates and funds a Medic One emergency medical services
program that is separate from the county program but part of the regional delivery
system. If Proposition No. 1 is enacted, all revenues collected during the six-year levy
period from taxable property located within the City of Seattle would be reimbursed
and transferred to the City. Revenues collected from taxable property outside of the
City of Seattle would be used to finance the county Medic One emergency medical
services program.
The proposed levy is a regular property tax levy in addition to the statutory tax rate
limits imposed by state law. It is not subject to the 106% limitation on levy increases
provided for by state law for the first levy imposed, but is subject to that limit for the
remaining five levies.
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| STATEMENT
FOR |
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Renew Our Commitment to Medic One
In 1998, King County voters rescued Medic One — our
countywide emergency medical service — by passing an important
levy. It’s time to renew our commitment.
Medic One saves lives. Last year, more than 3,500 dedicated
firefighters and paramedics responded to over 142,000 emergency
calls for help.
Medic One is recognized as one of the best emergency medical
services in the country. Because of Medic One, cardiac arrest
victims here are three times more likely to survive. That’s the
highest survival rate anywhere.
The Medic One levy is not a new tax; it’s the renewal of a
program that provides critical emergency services for all King
County residents.
And it’s at a lower rate. While the 1998 levy was for $0.29 per
$1,000 of assessed valuation, this year’s levy has been reduced
to just $0.25, or 14 percent less.
Medic One serves 1.7 million people in King County and
responds every three minutes to a medical emergency.
We all depend on Medic One to be there when we need it.
Now it’s our turn to be there for Medic One. Renew our
commitment. Vote YES on Proposition 1.
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| REBUTTAL
OF STATEMENT AGAINST |
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King County voters have supported the Medic One levy for
more than 20 years. This year, a county task force created to
explore funding options for Medic One concluded that the levy is
the best method of funding the service.
The Medic One levy provides King County residents with the
best emergency medical service in the country. Voting yes on
Prop. 1 ensures that Medic One will continue to be there when we
need it.
STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Dave Lawson, George Brace,
Greg Markley
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| STATEMENT
AGAINST |
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Our elected officials know we need EMS so why don’t they fund
it? The answer is simple. They want us to tax ourselves so they
can be free to fund other programs. No one should attempt to
terrify us with fear for our safety if we don’t.
Our leadership can find millions for defunct computer systems,
lawsuit settlements, and buying land; however, they can’t seem to
find money to save lives. Fund EMS first. If they need money for
other programs, put them on the ballot, not EMS.
EMS needs separate funding. Fire fighters are heroic but can’t
provide EMS during natural disasters or devastation like the
World Trade Center. They’re fighting fires and saving lives.
No other medical service uses property values to determine
how much they charge, not your doctor, dentist, hospital or clinic.
Why EMS? Other funding methods are available and used
elsewhere but are not mentioned on this ballot. We should not
allow our elected officials to ignore them. Since we are not given
a chance to vote for the other methods, we need to force them to
do it. Vote no. You’ll get a better EMS without paying extra taxes.
We did it in 1998.
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| REBUTTAL
OF STATEMENT FOR |
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We’ve ALWAYS been committed to Medic One. It’s why we pay
insurance companies, hospital levies and fire departments. Those
payments will continue regardless of this vote. However, instead
of supporting the use of those payments for EMS, we’ve been
unjustly terrorized with fear of losing Medic One. Medic One never
went away in 1998 and never will. Additional taxes and attempts
to threaten the safety and welfare of our community are unwarranted,
unnecessary and inexcusable.
STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Robert Style, Robert Anderson,
William Dorsey
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NOTE: The Division of Records and Elections is not authorized
to edit statements, nor is it responsible for their contents.
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