I received a post card today about the status of my EMSA tax opt-out. Check it out.
City of Tulsa MedicalYou bet I have some questions. If this card means what I think it means, I’m going to be EXTRAORDINARILY LIVID! It looks like they passed this EMSA Tax with the promise of an opt-out, but because not everyone knew about it, and because they obviously have made it difficult if not impossible to opt-out they have effectively ensured close to 100% participation. If they think I’m going to take this lying down they have another thing coming.
Service Program
Opt Out Notification
A city of Tulsa TotalCare Ambulance Program Declaration of Non-Participation was received for this address. However, as the declaration was filed past this utility account’s opt-out deadline, the request was not able to be fulfilled. Should you have any questions, please call 396-2888.
“But Steven it’s just 3 bucks and change.” Listen I don’t think you know what a huge tightwad I am; just look at what I went through to get 2 cents out of Bank of America.
Technorati Tags: Tulsa
EMSA
scam
5 comments:
Especially since the 'program' has subscribed enough to collect $2 for every $1 they said they needed.
While you're messing with them, ask what they're going to be doing with the extra $2.5 million or more they will receive.
wow. EMSA's got it going on, don't they?
The city of Sand Springs went a step further and made their socialist tax program mandatory.
Plain and simple, Steven. Don't pay it. A little civil disobedience can go a long, long way. Tulsa and other communities have put this fee on a UTILITY bill. They have now gotten a taste of bypassing the citizens' approval to tax you. Better not let them get away with it.
Hey Steveo,
Wanta screw them .... stop all of ya's utilities account .... then open them in your kids name .... then they havta give you another opt-out date... check it out ... see if it's true .... call the city utilities dept and ask for all the details .... act as if your just moving here ..
All the Best Mate... DaWizard
Im a little partial since my daughter works for EMSA. But, to address "anonymous" comment about what there going to do with the extra 2.5 million. My guess would be their going to pay for Stupid, bogus,"I have a sore finger" calls that they get constantly that they have to answer, taking them away from the more serious Emsa calls. I hope you think about this if you ever need Emsa!
Alright. I am going to back EMSA on this one. I will tell you. I worked for EMSA for 7 years; although I am not supporting them, I don't see paying a few bucks a month for ambulance service. EMS (not EMSA, but EMS in general) cost money. How much has YOUR taxes paid for FIRE and POLICE since you started paying taxes? Sure, PD and FD don't have a "police and fire" charge on your water bill, but you pay a heck of a lot more in total for both those services. It is also fact, that while you WILL pay more for PD and FD in taxes threw out your life time you are more likely to use EMS services more than you will ever use FD or PD (if you ever use them at all). The public need to realize that EMS is something YOU the tax payer has to pay for, just like PD and FD. EMSA provides amazing service for the cost. As a paramedic for 8 years I have seen how the EMS indusrie as a whole is crapped upon when it comes to getting funding. People will almost always allow tax increases for more police, but somehow think to pay more to have a ambulance closer to your house so in case your loved one or neighbor needs help can be there faster is a scam? EMS does way more than drive people to hospital and bill insurance. We are a part of the rescue for the cities we serve as well as the social 911 when people don't know where to turn. EMS is a extremity valuable part of ANY city and it seems like most people miss that fact.
As for EMSA (not EMS, but the ambulance service in Tulsa). They work for the lowest cost possible sometimes and that leaves EMTs and Paramedics getting the shaft when it comes to quality of work place. I now work for a city service. The city I work for sees EMS as important as Police and Fire. Let me tell you; I have seen both sides and hands down the city run services beats EMSA 10 fold. More from working for the services and not as much as the service it provides to the community. The citizens whom I work for (yes they are my boss) pay about $5 a month for EMS! that's $60 a year in taxes; a little more than EMSA charges hu? However, they retain paramedics longer because its a city job so pay is better, you have retirement and basically all the benefits of Fire and Police for the most part. As much as EMSA tries to do a good job at medic retention; they end up losing a lot of good people due to the fact that they have NO stations and run the crews ragged since they try to keep their cost down as much as they can to avoid asking for money from the city like they are doing now. The people who get hurt in this are the medic and the citizens. The medics don't get the benefits and pay as well as better working conditions they deserve so much, and the citizens get the a EMS service that relies strictly on bottom cost operations.
So do I support Fire taking over EMS? No! Fire taking this over would in my opinion decrease the level of care given to citizens. FD does a fantastic job, however they need to stick with what they do best which is first response. Any city in my opinion would best benefit from whats known as a 3rd city service. That is a city department that separate from police and fire. Would this cost YOU the tax payer MORE money? Absolutely. However; with the correct funding, operations, and medical control you could have yourself a amazing EMS service for YOUR city, and the just the lowest cost operator. Something to think about? As for private ambulance services I can tell you that EMSA the hands down the best as far as "bang for your buck" those people work their asses off. I'd encourage anyone who is critical of EMSA and the cost they are giving you, to do a ride along on our of their 12 hour shifts. I can promise you by the end of the day you will not only not mind paying a fee on your water bill, but most likely buy them lunch too.
Post a Comment