Sick and Elderly Beware: City Seeks to Raise Cost of Ambulance Service and Mileage Rate
http://www.aframnews.com/html/interspire/articles/1189/1/Sick-and-Elderly-Beware-City-Seeks-to-Raise-Cost-of-Ambulance-Service-and-Mileage-Rate/Page1.html
Jolanda Jones
By Jolanda Jones
Published on 12/9/2009
HOUSTON- Please pay attention. I promised you, when I ran to be your voice at City Hall, that I would fight to ensure that all voices were heard at City Hall and that what we did would be transparent.
In other words, I would, to the extent I could, let you know what we intended to do to you before we did it. The City is attempting to hike the fees for ambulance rides from $415 to $800 and also hike the fee per mile from $7.50 to $16.00.
This is over a 100% increase, all on the taxpayers’ backs. I would respectfully submit to you that it will drastically effect our most vulnerable tax payers, the sick and elderly, and by others.
It has been explained to me that there is no need to have a public hearing on this one issue. Apparently there was a committee meeting and it was “adequately vetted.”
After the committee meeting, I still had questions. In fact, I had the proponents of this fee hike come to my office to explain the hike they’re seeking.
After that meeting, I still had questions so I sent written questions relating to the hike, to be answered before it comes to City Council. As of the time of this article, they have yet to be answered.
In these tough economic times, we need to be mindful that a 100% fee hike should be vetted not just by the city but by the taxpayers who ultimately will have to pay for it. It’s interesting, that the assistant fire chief who spoke about this hike believes that it really won’t affect taxpayers because the city will offer a payment plan.
A payment plan means nothing to people who are struggling to pay for lights and water, etc. I have asked that same assistant fire chief about marble floors at fire stations.
Why can’t we cut back on Rolls Royce amenities, then maybe we wouldn’t need to charge up taxpayers? I spoke with a senior about this proposed fee hike and he said he would hesitate to call 911 knowing that the fees were hiked like that.
That’s not good when people who need emergency services don’t use them because of the cost of the ride. I was also informed that this proposed 100% fee hike was a result of City Council asking for ways to generate revenue.
For the record, Jolanda “Jo” Jones, At-Large 5 City Council Member, did not ask for this proposed 100% fee hike. Channel 13, Houston’s ABC affiliate, did a story on this proposed 100% fee hike and the tenor of the public response was the same as my concerns.
Maurice Ivory, a stroke victim, works out at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center on West Gray, as part of his rehabilitation for the stroke he suffered two and a half years ago. The ambulance ride to the hospital saved his life.
More importantly he thinks the proposal to raise ambulance fees from a base rate of $415 to $800 a ride, and raise the rate from $7.50 to $16 per mile is wrong. Per Ivory, “It’s mainly the elderly people and they cannot afford to pay.”
Likewise, Maryann Pegelow, an epileptic who has taken many hospital rides in ambulances as a result, dittos my belief that many people like her “are on a fixed income.” As Marvin Zindler used to say, “It’s hell to be poor!”
It’s even worse when those in power have no clue the everyday struggles of the sick, the elderly, the working poor and the struggling middle class. One of my high school classmates Facebooked me regarding this issue and shared “[o]ne of my sons was hit with a foul ball in the head at an Astros game. They took him via ambulance to the hospital just a couple miles away. Cost me over $400.00 just for the ambulance ride! You go, Jo!” I have asked about having a public hearing on this proposed fee.
I was told that they didn’t really want to have a public hearing because it might scare people. To me, that’s when we really need and should have a public hearing.
If the city truly believes it is necessary to jack the fees up that high, then the city should explain and justify, to the public/taxpayers, especially since it is the public/taxpayers that will ultimately bear the costs. We, The People, should absolutely be a part of this proposed 100% fee hike discussion.
As the Houston Chronicle said when in its endorsement of me, I pay attention to detail; am a hard worker; and keep those ordinarily left out of the discussion at City Hall. The Houstonians/taxpayers, in this proposed 100% fee hike issue, are definitely being left out.
This is an attempt to warn you of what we intend to do before we do it. It is an attempt to give you meaningful notice and hearing on this exponential proposed increase in this vital public service.
You are not being heard. We need to hear from you.
If someone doesn’t check the government, who will? To that end, please call us at City Hall.
Call the mayor, the five at-large city council members (technically, we represent you) and your district council member. Let us know how you feel.
Generally speaking, you may come to Public Session at City Council, on Tuesdays at 2:00p.m. andt tell us how you really feel on any issue you want. Specific to this proposed 100% fee hike, it may come up on the City Council Agenda on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 at 9:00a.m.
If it plays out like this, and if you care about this proposed 100 percent fee hike, you must sign up to speak at Public Session on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009 by 1:30p.m. You may sign up by calling City Secretary Anna Russell at (713)247-1840 or by email.
You may also call my office and we will facilitate you signing up for Public Session. My City Hall number is (832)393-3006 and my email is atlarge5@cityofhouston.net. Please make sure that you put “Ambulance 100% Fee Hike” in the subject line.
I don’t know what the rush is to hurry up and pass this proposed fee hike onto taxpayers. Why can’t we give the public meaningful notice and hearing?
If this goes into the next administration, then so be it. This reminds me of when I walked into the Univeristy of Houston Law School Admissions Office back in 1993. A sign on a desk read: Procrastination On Your Part Does Not Constitute An Emergency On My Part. Let’s not make this an emergency for the taxpayers.
Houstonians beware. Because if we don’t pay attention, this proposed fee hike issue may bring a whole new meaning to the phrase: “You can beat the rap but you can’t beat the ride.”
Many citizens may be reluctant to call for an ambulance ride in the wake of an emergency because of the fees being raised from $400 to $800. Also the fee per mile might increase from $7.50 to $16.00.
HOUSTON- Please pay attention. I promised you, when I ran to be your voice at City Hall, that I would fight to ensure that all voices were heard at City Hall and that what we did would be transparent.
In other words, I would, to the extent I could, let you know what we intended to do to you before we did it. The City is attempting to hike the fees for ambulance rides from $415 to $800 and also hike the fee per mile from $7.50 to $16.00.
In other words, I would, to the extent I could, let you know what we intended to do to you before we did it. The City is attempting to hike the fees for ambulance rides from $415 to $800 and also hike the fee per mile from $7.50 to $16.00.
HOUSTON- Please pay attention. I promised you, when I ran to be your voice at City Hall, that I would fight to ensure that all voices were heard at City Hall and that what we did would be transparent.
In other words, I would, to the extent I could, let you know what we intended to do to you before we did it. The City is attempting to hike the fees for ambulance rides from $415 to $800 and also hike the fee per mile from $7.50 to $16.00.
This is over a 100% increase, all on the taxpayers’ backs. I would respectfully submit to you that it will drastically effect our most vulnerable tax payers, the sick and elderly, and by others.
It has been explained to me that there is no need to have a public hearing on this one issue. Apparently there was a committee meeting and it was “adequately vetted.”
After the committee meeting, I still had questions. In fact, I had the proponents of this fee hike come to my office to explain the hike they’re seeking.
After that meeting, I still had questions so I sent written questions relating to the hike, to be answered before it comes to City Council. As of the time of this article, they have yet to be answered.
In these tough economic times, we need to be mindful that a 100% fee hike should be vetted not just by the city but by the taxpayers who ultimately will have to pay for it. It’s interesting, that the assistant fire chief who spoke about this hike believes that it really won’t affect taxpayers because the city will offer a payment plan.
A payment plan means nothing to people who are struggling to pay for lights and water, etc. I have asked that same assistant fire chief about marble floors at fire stations.
Why can’t we cut back on Rolls Royce amenities, then maybe we wouldn’t need to charge up taxpayers? I spoke with a senior about this proposed fee hike and he said he would hesitate to call 911 knowing that the fees were hiked like that.
That’s not good when people who need emergency services don’t use them because of the cost of the ride. I was also informed that this proposed 100% fee hike was a result of City Council asking for ways to generate revenue.
For the record, Jolanda “Jo” Jones, At-Large 5 City Council Member, did not ask for this proposed 100% fee hike. Channel 13, Houston’s ABC affiliate, did a story on this proposed 100% fee hike and the tenor of the public response was the same as my concerns.
Maurice Ivory, a stroke victim, works out at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center on West Gray, as part of his rehabilitation for the stroke he suffered two and a half years ago. The ambulance ride to the hospital saved his life.
More importantly he thinks the proposal to raise ambulance fees from a base rate of $415 to $800 a ride, and raise the rate from $7.50 to $16 per mile is wrong. Per Ivory, “It’s mainly the elderly people and they cannot afford to pay.”
Likewise, Maryann Pegelow, an epileptic who has taken many hospital rides in ambulances as a result, dittos my belief that many people like her “are on a fixed income.” As Marvin Zindler used to say, “It’s hell to be poor!”
It’s even worse when those in power have no clue the everyday struggles of the sick, the elderly, the working poor and the struggling middle class. One of my high school classmates Facebooked me regarding this issue and shared “[o]ne of my sons was hit with a foul ball in the head at an Astros game. They took him via ambulance to the hospital just a couple miles away. Cost me over $400.00 just for the ambulance ride! You go, Jo!” I have asked about having a public hearing on this proposed fee.
I was told that they didn’t really want to have a public hearing because it might scare people. To me, that’s when we really need and should have a public hearing.
If the city truly believes it is necessary to jack the fees up that high, then the city should explain and justify, to the public/taxpayers, especially since it is the public/taxpayers that will ultimately bear the costs. We, The People, should absolutely be a part of this proposed 100% fee hike discussion.
As the Houston Chronicle said when in its endorsement of me, I pay attention to detail; am a hard worker; and keep those ordinarily left out of the discussion at City Hall. The Houstonians/taxpayers, in this proposed 100% fee hike issue, are definitely being left out.
This is an attempt to warn you of what we intend to do before we do it. It is an attempt to give you meaningful notice and hearing on this exponential proposed increase in this vital public service.
You are not being heard. We need to hear from you.
If someone doesn’t check the government, who will? To that end, please call us at City Hall.
Call the mayor, the five at-large city council members (technically, we represent you) and your district council member. Let us know how you feel.
Generally speaking, you may come to Public Session at City Council, on Tuesdays at 2:00p.m. andt tell us how you really feel on any issue you want. Specific to this proposed 100% fee hike, it may come up on the City Council Agenda on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 at 9:00a.m.
If it plays out like this, and if you care about this proposed 100 percent fee hike, you must sign up to speak at Public Session on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009 by 1:30p.m. You may sign up by calling City Secretary Anna Russell at (713)247-1840 or by email.
You may also call my office and we will facilitate you signing up for Public Session. My City Hall number is (832)393-3006 and my email is atlarge5@cityofhouston.net. Please make sure that you put “Ambulance 100% Fee Hike” in the subject line.
I don’t know what the rush is to hurry up and pass this proposed fee hike onto taxpayers. Why can’t we give the public meaningful notice and hearing?
If this goes into the next administration, then so be it. This reminds me of when I walked into the Univeristy of Houston Law School Admissions Office back in 1993. A sign on a desk read: Procrastination On Your Part Does Not Constitute An Emergency On My Part. Let’s not make this an emergency for the taxpayers.
Houstonians beware. Because if we don’t pay attention, this proposed fee hike issue may bring a whole new meaning to the phrase: “You can beat the rap but you can’t beat the ride.”
Many citizens may be reluctant to call for an ambulance ride in the wake of an emergency because of the fees being raised from $400 to $800. Also the fee per mile might increase from $7.50 to $16.00.