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Oshkosh, state lawmakers discuss levy-limit exemptions and EMS staffing as cities face public-safety budget pressure
Summary
City officials and legislators discussed proposed levy-limit changes and three EMS-related bills designed to ease funding and operational strains, while local chiefs warned of a looming paramedic staffing shortage that could require hiring dozens of new paramedics over the next 18 months.
Oshkosh officials and state legislators on Monday discussed proposed changes to levy limits intended to help public-safety budgets, and several EMS-related bills that would change funding and training rules for ambulance and paramedic services.
Why it matters: Public safety (police and fire/EMS) represents a substantial share of municipal budgets. City staff said labor agreements automatically increase public-safety costs and that a mismatch between those costs and current levy limits puts pressure on tax rates and services.
Proposals and bills discussed: Participants identified three EMS-related measures pending at the Legislature: an investment in EMS education, a regional EMS levy-limit exemption and a bill to reimburse ambulance providers when patients are treated but not transported. City staff noted an existing levy-limit exception for joint fire departments but said there is no comparable exception for police and that joint-EMS or regional arrangements are being examined.
Scope and operational concerns: City and county chiefs said the proposed thresholds for forming regional EMS districts may be impractical in Winnebago County. A draft requirement of at least eight municipalities and a minimum geographic size (about 232 square miles) drew concerns. "When I hear the number of 8, certainly... in all of Winnebago County, there's 7 law enforcement agencies in the whole county. So, that as a standard, I don't know how many there are for fire service, but just to That seems like a very large number for for our county to to try to reach," said Dean Smith, chief of police for Oshkosh.
Workforce pressures: Oshkosh Fire Chief Tim Hyman described imminent retirements and a tight hiring pipeline. "I was at a recent graduation at Fox Valley Tech. They had 100% placement before anybody graduated. So, everybody there is already hired. We anticipate we could need as many as, 24 to 26 people in that 18 months with the number of retirements we're having," Hyman said, describing the scale of hiring that could be needed.
Use of EMS for non-emergency calls: Officials noted nursing homes and assisted-living sites increasingly call EMS for lift assists and non-transport responses because facility staffing is insufficient. Representative Gustafson said she plans to reintroduce two bills modeled on Arizona law: one requiring on-site fall-recovery training in certain facilities and another creating a $300,000 pilot to fund lift-assist devices in facilities.
Next steps: Legislators said they are still refining bill language and considering regional and legislative fixes. City leaders asked lawmakers to consider the practicality of thresholds and to account for rural/urban service footprints when proposing levy-limit or district-formation rules.
Ending: Officials said they support funding for EMS education and training but cautioned that statutory thresholds and administrative details must reflect local service patterns and the workforce realities of counties like Winnebago.
