Committee debates equipment fund, ambulance billing and how to pay for big vehicle replacements

Committee members and city staff discussed whether to create a dedicated equipment fund to save for large purchases such as ladder trucks and fire engines, and whether ambulance billing rates and collection practices should be updated to increase revenue. The committee did not adopt a fund or change billing policy; members asked staff for further analysis and data for a future finance meeting.

Vice Mayor Ms. Weiser and others warned that creating department-specific, restricted funds reduces budget flexibility. “When you start tagging certain revenues ... you begin to break down the idea of a unified budget,” Ms. Weiser said, adding that separate funds can create “little fiefdoms.”

Chief Perko (referred to in the meeting as the chief)…