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AN ORDINANCE relating to the funding and provision of Medic One emergency medical services; providing for the submission to the electorate of King County, at a special election on November 6, 2007, a proposition imposing the levy of a regular property tax each year for six years, collection beginning in 2008, at a rate of $0.30 or less per $1,000 of assessed valuation to continue to provide Medic One emergency medical services.
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PREAMBLE:
The King County emergency medical services (EMS) system, publicly known as Medic One, is an integrated publicly funded partnership between the county, cities, fire districts, hospitals, and the University of Washington.
Medic One is a tiered response system that includes basic life support by city and fire district emergency medical technicians, advanced life support by accredited paramedics, and regional support programs that provide citizen and emergency personnel training, and medical oversight and planning.
Since 1979, Medic One has saved countless lives, tripling the survival rate of victims of cardiac arrest and doubling hospital discharge rates, alone. Sustained funding of Medic One is needed to continue this critical service to the residents of King County.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Approval of cities over 50,000 population. Pursuant to RCW 84.52.069, approval to place this county-wide levy proposal on the ballot will be obtained from the legislative bodies of all cities in the county over 50,000 population, effective not later than July 1, 2007, before submission to the electorate of King County on the special election ballot of November 6, 2007.
SECTION 2. Definitions. The definitions in this section apply throughout this ordinance unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
A. County means King County.
B. Levy means the levy of regular property taxes, for the specific purpose and term provided in this ordinance and authorized by the electorate in accordance with state law.
C. Levy Proceeds means the principal amount of funds raised by the Levy, any interest earnings on the funds and the proceeds of any interim financing following authorization of the Levy.
SECTION 3. City of Seattle reimbursement. It is recognized that the City of Seattle operates and funds a Medic One emergency medical services program that is separate from the county program but part of the regional delivery system. All levy proceeds collected pursuant to the levy authorized in this ordinance from taxable property located within the legal boundaries of the City of Seattle shall be reimbursed and transferred to the City of Seattle.
SECTION 4. Levy submittal to voters. To provide necessary funds for the Medic One emergency medical services system under the authority of RCW 84.52.069, the county council shall submit to the qualified electors of the county a proposition authorizing a regular property tax levy for six consecutive years, with collection commencing in 2008, at a rate not to exceed $0.30 per one thousand dollars of assessed value. As provided under state law, this levy shall be exempt from the rate limitations under RCW 84.52.043, but subject in years two through six to the limitations imposed under Chapter 84.55 RCW.
SECTION 5. Deposit of Levy Proceeds. All funds not reimbursed to the City of Seattle under section three of this ordinance shall be deposited into the county emergency medical services fund.
SECTION 6. Eligible expenditures. If approved by the qualified electors of the county, all proceeds of the levy authorized in this ordinance shall be used in accordance with RCW 84.52.069.
SECTION 7. Medic One financial policies -- findings. The council finds that it is in the best interest of the county and its taxpayers to formalize financial policies to assure the stability of the Medic One emergency medical services program. The council further finds that temporary suspension of these financial policies may be necessary under specific circumstances.
SECTION 8. EMS financial policy -- undesignated fund balance. An undesignated fund balance equal to six percent of that year's adopted revenue shall be maintained at all times in the emergency medical services fund. The undesignated fund balance requirement in this chapter may be temporarily suspended by the county executive if necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. Any such declaration must be immediately transmitted to the county council and the Medic One/EMS advisory committee, outlining extraordinary measures that must be taken to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. A declaration of temporary suspension shall be limited in duration to 60 days unless confirmed by a majority vote of the Medic One/EMS advisory committee. Any expenditure of reserve funds would require an appropriation from the county council.
SECTION 9. EMS financial policy -- contingent appropriation for disaster response. A contingent appropriation for disaster response shall be made each year from the emergency medical services fund. Such funds may be expended only with a declaration of emergency by the county executive requiring significant mobilization of the Medic One emergency medical services system. Any such expenditure must be in accordance with section 6 of this ordinance, and must be transmitted immediately, along with the declaration of disaster, to the county council and the Medic One/EMS advisory committee.
SECTION 10. EMS financial policy -- reserves for unanticipated inflation. Designated reserves shall be established in the 2008-2013 Medic One emergency medical services levy financial plan to maintain Medic One operations in the face of inflation in excess of forecasted levels. Each designated reserve shall be described in the financial plan and must clearly identify the relevant inflation or cost index linked to its expenditure. Any designated reserve requirement may be temporarily suspended by declaration of unexpected inflation by the county executive, provided that the requirements of section 11 of this ordinance are satisfied. Any such temporary suspension must be immediately transmitted to the county council and the Medic One/EMS advisory committee. Any expenditure of reserve funds would require an appropriation from the county council.
SECTION 11. EMS financial policy -- reserve for unanticipated inflation -- basis for temporary suspension. A temporary suspension of the inflation reserve in section 10 of this ordinance can be made only after the relevant inflation or cost index in the preceding year is more than one percent above the level anticipated in the adopted levy financial plan, or the most current forecast of the relevant inflation or cost index for the upcoming one-year budget cycle exceeds by one percent or more the assumptions in the adopted levy financial plan.
SECTION 12. Ratification by voters. This levy shall be submitted to the voters for approval in accordance with RCW 84.52.069.
SECTION 13. Call for special election. In accordance with RCW 29A.04.321, a special election is called for November 6, 2007, to consider a proposition authorizing a regular property tax levy for the purposes described in this ordinance. The manager of the records, elections and licensing services division shall cause notice to be given of this ordinance in accordance with the state constitution and general law and to submit to the qualified electors of the county, at the said special county election, the proposition hereinafter set forth. The clerk of the council shall certify that proposition to the director of the records, elections and licensing services division, in substantially the following form:
PROPOSITION ONE: The King County Council passed Ordinance ___ concerning funding for the Medic One emergency medical services system. This proposition would replace an expiring levy to continue funding of Medic One emergency medical services. It would authorize King County to impose regular property tax levies of $0.30 or less per thousand dollars of assessed valuation for each of six consecutive years, with collection beginning in 2008, as provided in King County Ordinance ______. Should this proposition be:
Approved? _____
Rejected? _____
SECTION 14. Interlocal agreement. The county executive is hereby authorized and directed to enter into an interlocal agreement with the City of Seattle relating to the Medic One program, to implement the provisions of section 3 of this ordinance.
SECTION 15. Ratification. Certification of the proposition by the clerk of the county council to the King County director of records and elections in accordance with law before the election on November 6, 2007, and any other act consistent with the authority and before the effective date of this ordinance are hereby ratified and confirmed.
SECTION 16. Severability. If any provision of this ordinance or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the ordinance or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
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