Gilpin looks to half-mill tax to help pay for ambulance, rescue service
Gilpin officials are throwing a financial lifeline to a local EMS service based in Leechburg.
Supervisors unanimously approved an EMS tax to help fund Lower Kiski Ambulance Service in an effort to intervene with much-needed funds.
“EMS is a mandatory service that townships must supply to its residents per state law,” Gilpin Supervisor Tina Thompson said. “Having been in an emergency situation personally where an ambulance was needed, I can speak firsthand to how critical it is to have a fast response time.”
The proposed half-mill EMS tax, in the township’s preliminary budget, will help to keep the doors open at the struggling emergency service that serves 12,000 people in Gilpin, Leechburg, Hyde Park, Allegheny Township and West Leechburg.
“Without Lower Kiski, our next closest EMS stations are Oklahoma Borough, Freeport and Ford City,” Thompson said, “all of which come with significantly longer response times — which could mean life or death.”
Supervisors said it was too late to put in a tax referendum vote for the April primary, but preliminary plans are in place to have a referendum on next year’s November general election ballot to increase the tax to a full mill.
“This will allow the residents of Gilpin Township to decide if they wish to fund EMS with tax dollars. Along with this tax, Gilpin will require accountability, requiring Lower Kiski to supply at least quarterly financial statements,” Thompson said.
Daniel Kupas, Lower Kiski board president, hosted an informational question-and-answer meeting with representatives from all five communities in August to discuss the service’s finances and what it requires to continue operations.
Lower Kiski Ambulance Service conducts an annual subscription campaign, but with only about 23% of residents participating, not enough funds are generated to ensure ongoing fiscal stability.
In a Tribune-Review letter to the editor Oct. 22, Kupas noted Lower Kiski is experiencing rising expenses that outweigh antiquated insurance reimbursements for services, which is its primary source of revenue.
Additionally, state and municipal governments don’t provide any sustainable funding, Kupas wrote.
“No one can afford to hide from the issue any longer in the best interest of the health and safety of our communities,” Kupas wrote. “If you value the presence of EMS in your life and community, tell your elected officials. Your life or the life of a loved one could be at stake without implementation of a solid EMS statewide and local municipality sustained funding structure.”
“This tax was initially requested by Lower Kiski EMS in July due to dire funding needs,” Gilpin Supervisors Chairman Charles Stull said. “It was estimated by directors that, without steady funding from each served municipality, the service would not survive more than three years.
“They need more than any of us are giving right now. State law limits us to do 0.5 mill of taxes unless there’s a referendum on the ballot,” Stull said.
Describing the current financial status of Lower Kiski Ambulance Service as a “crisis,” Stull said the supervisors have held multiple meetings in July, August and October with Lower Kiski representatives in an effort to fund the struggling ambulance company.
If Lower Kiski were to go out of business, Gilpin would have to depend on outside sources, from greater distances, to serve the township’s EMS needs.
“This in no way funds or changes the Gilpin Township budget,” Stull said Wednesday.
In addition to providing emergency medical services, Lower Kiski first responders provide water, crash and high-angle rescue services.
In business for 53 years, Lower Kiski’s current fleet includes six ambulances providing basic and advanced life support.
Stull said “to the best of his knowledge” the other four communities are pledging an amount out of their general fund equal to a half-mill tax for their community.
“A (half-mill) of taxes for Gilpin is about $20,000 per year,” Stull said.
For Gilpin residents, the new tax bill will range from $10 to $75 per property.
In Gilpin, more than half of the residents are older than 50.
Gilpin is the second-largest tax base for Lower Kiski, behind Allegheny Township.
The new tax is expected to be finalized via resolution during the year-end meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 27.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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