Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad asks St. Mary’s County to double rescue tax to cover operations and building plan

Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad representatives told the St. Mary’s County Board of County Commissioners at a Jan. 29, 2013 budget work session that the squad faces growing operating deficits and is requesting a rescue tax increase from 0.011 to 0.022 to avoid drawing down reserves and to fund a planned station renovation.

The request was presented by Natalie Himes, president of the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad; Tim Linehan, treasurer; and Assistant Chief Barbara Weibel. Himes summarized the purpose of the presentation as “to request for a tax rate increase,” and said the squad would review revenue and expense trends, fundraising and alternatives, and plans for a new facility.

The request follows several trends the squad described to commissioners. Tim Linehan said county and state funding make up roughly 70 percent of Hollywood’s revenue while donations and fundraising account for about 10–34 percent depending on the year; he added that volunteer time donated by members had an estimated value of about $750,000. Linehan also presented dispatch data showing a sharp rise in mutual-aid calls within the county: mutual-aid in-county dispatches rose from 35 percent of calls in 2010 to about 55 percent in 2012, producing many more total…