BY MAX SILVERSON
The Star-News
The Valley Countywide EMS District will seek a permanent levy override in the November general election to fund three ambulances across the county.
A levy amount was not finalized for the November ballot, but it would cost about $3.9 million to pay for an ambulance to be available 24 hours per day, seven days per week in Cascade, Donnelly and McCall, said EMS Commission Chair Travis Smith.
It will be the third time the district has asked voters for funding to pay for ambulance services.
Votes in the May primary and November 2023 election both narrowly failed to meet the two thirds majority for a permanent tax increase, each receiving about 64% voter approval.
The two failed votes were top of mind for commissioners, who considered seeking a temporary, two-year tax increase, which only requires a 50% majority vote.
Since the original EMS levy was set in 2009, Valley County’s population and number of visitors have grown significantly, increasing the demand for emergency services, officials said.
The current budget of $1.3 million is no longer sufficient to maintain industry standards and appropriate staffing numbers. Currently, if there is an ambulance call there is no fire coverage, officials said.
“We don’t have enough funds to serve our community at the level required,” Smith said. “We wouldn’t be asking for a third time if it wasn’t so important. It’s time for Valley County’s EMS district to have a modern funding structure that provides the care our residents deserve.”
“A new, permanent structure will ensure we won’t have to ask the community again for many, many years,” he said.
EMS Commissioners decided to pursue a permanent levy vote at the urging of Fire Chiefs.
“I can’t do anything with a temporary levy,” said Donnelly Fire Chief Juan Bonilla. “I can’t hire, I can’t make our wages marketable.”
A temporary levy would only provide funding for two years, and could be denied by voters when it is up for renewal, making fire districts doubtful that a temporary measure would solve the funding issue.
The EMS district contracts ambulance services to fire districts in Donnelly, Cascade and McCall.
Commissioners from the three fire districts met with the EMS board in July, urging EMS commissioners to continue seeking a permanent override until it passes, even if that effort takes multiple years and multiple votes.
“We cannot stop until it’s done,” Bonilla told EMS commissioners, noting that some districts in Idaho have only passed a permanent override after five or six failed attempts at the ballot.
Currently, the EMS district levies a tax of about $1.3 million per year, which is split evenly between Fire districts in Cascade, Donnelly and McCall to pay for staffing one ambulance in each district, 24 hours per day.
But the cost of operating ambulances in each district is not covered by that revenue. Fire districts have dipped into their own budgets for years to make up the difference.
In 2023, each district exceeded the roughly $419,000 in EMS funds paid by the district. McCall Fire budgeted about $1.22 million for EMS services, Cascade Fire about $911,000 and Donnelly Fire about $887,000.
The deficit means that there is tax money set aside for firefighting being spent on ambulances, and less staff available to respond to medical or fire calls.
EMS Commissioner Dr. Gregory Irvine said that if the vote fails yet again in November, the board should seek a temporary two-year levy in the May election.
“If we lose in November, then we will come back in May for a temporary override. Because if we don’t get this outfit funded, we’re dead in the water,” Irvine said.
Whether a levy is approved in November or May 2025, funding would not be received by the district until January 2026.
The McCall Fire Protection District has hired a consultant to conduct a public outreach campaign on why the levy is needed.
City of McCall Communications Manager Erin Greaves was hired to oversee the campaign for $13,300. Greaves was hired as an independent contractor, not in her official capacity as a city employee.
