By Thomas J. Prohaska
Buffalo News (New York)
Copyright 2006 The Buffalo News
All Rights Reserved
LOCKPORT, N.Y. — The Common Council will meet at 4 p.m. today to discuss more nontax revenues in the proposed 2007 budget, after it received negative reviews at a public hearing Wednesday. The spending plan is to be voted on next Wednesday.
The $21.1 million general fund budget packs a property tax increase of 4.46 percent, but Alderman Thomas F. Grzebinski II said he wants to talk about raising ambulance fees, as proposed last month by Fire Chief Thomas J. Passuite.
Ambulance fees are the city’s fourth largest source of income after property taxes, sales taxes and state aid.
“Some of the fees we’re currently charging are under market,” said Grzebinski, R-1st Ward.
Passuite also proposed seeking contracts with volunteer fire companies in surrounding towns to bill $200 for paramedic calls in the towns, and with Lockport Memorial Hospital to carry non-emergency transfers to other hospitals. Passuite said such a deal could bring in $539,175.
The budget as it currently stands does not call for spending any of the city’s $1.3 million fund balance in 2007, but that could change. This year, the city appropriated $280,000 from that source.
Mayor Michael W. Tucker was noncommittal on both the ambulance fees and the fund balance. “I’ll have a look at what the numbers are,” he said.
The city collects about $600,000 a year in ambulance fees, but it bills $900,000. During the public hearing, Tucker said the city was considering hiring a collection agency.
Jacob Kern Jr. of South Transit Street denounced the idea.
“You don’t go to a collection agency. You do your own work. Everybody in the city wants to take the easy way out,” Kern fumed.
Barbara Parker, the Fire Department employee who handles the ambulance billing, said most of the discrepancy is caused by Medicare and Medicaid allowances the city legally can’t pocket. She said the city collects 93 percent of everything it legally can.
Other speakers at the hearing griped about the plan to hire a trainee building inspector and a Youth Bureau aide in 2007. Robert Hagen of Locust Street called for privatizing building inspection.
George Kugler of Gaffney Road ripped the plan to increase water rates. Alderman Patrick W. Schrader, D-4th Ward, said, “We’re going to discuss raising the rates 10 cents per 100 cubic feet.”
That would be a 4.1 percent increase on the usage portion of the bill. The city also charges a flat fee based on the size of the meter connection; it’s $30 every three months for most homes.