By Rusty Marks
The Charleston Gazette
KANAWHA COUNTY, W. Va. — Officials for Kanawha County’s police and firefighters unions came out in support of the county’s decades-old ambulance, bus and emergency services levy.
The levy, which dates back to 1973, provides about $14.9 million to help fund the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority, Sheriff’s Department, local police departments and fire departments, and the Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority. Voters will be asked to renew the levy on Tuesday’s primary election ballot.
St. Albans Police Chief Joe Crawford, vice president of the state Fraternal Order of Police, said police departments, fire departments and ambulance services rely on the extra money brought in by the levy to pay for extra training, equipment and other things they might not ordinarily be able to afford. Crawford said the levy paid for about $80,000 equipment for the St. Albans Police Department alone.
“It’s equipment we couldn’t go out and get without the levy,” he said. “It gives us necessary tools and equipment we need to do our jobs.”
At a news conference Tuesday, Crawford was joined by presidents of the Charleston and South Charleston professional firefighters unions, members of the ambulance authority, firefighters and EMTs, county officials and members of the Charleston Regional Chamber of Commerce to stress the importance of the levy. The measure requires a 60 percent majority to pass.
Firefighters and ambulance crews say they need to money provided by the levy to pay for special training programs and to free up their budgets for other important expenses.
They levy provides 32 percent of the ambulance authority’s budget, 56 percent of Charleston’s fire and ambulance services and 63 percent of KRT’s budget. KRT officials say bus service will be severely cut if the levy fails.
“No KRT means no jobs for thousands of people in Kanawha County,” said JoEllen Zacks, vice president of the local chamber.
Supporters stress that the levy is not a tax increase, but a continuation of the current levy rate. County officials actually rolled back the maximum levy rate so taxpayers won’t pay more.
Zacks said the levy costs the average homeowner about 14 cents a day.
County election officials said the levy issue is on the back of the double-sided primary ballot. Election officials reminded voters last week to be sure to turn their ballots over to vote on the levy and on county school board races.
Copyright 2010 Charleston Newspapers