Tuesday,
July 13, 2004
Web posted: July 22, 2004

Hi Debby:

I admit that I may not be the smartest person on the planet, but I read the paper this morning and am a complete loss with the fire/ems being seriously considered as area wide. But then again, I live on the north end, and probably don't see the whole picture.

So my questions are:

1). Is "the same level of service" the same as we in the borough get now, or the same as in the City?

2). If it is the same as in the City, then how can it be accomplished without raising taxes to cover the additional staffing/equipment and facilities expenses that would obviously be required?

3). If it is unified fire/ems, without an equitable level of service, then there is no gain, at least the way I see it, just higher costs but a sharing of a cost for services not delivered.

Initially, as a North end resident, I cannot support area-wide ems / fire services as the article in the paper proposed, and at this point would encourage that the three areas be left as they are. Also, is this the lead
in to area wide police? In my humble opinion, the last thing I want to see on Pond Reef road, or any further North than they already are, is City police.

But then again, that is just my opinion.

Thanks,

David Martin