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Corte Madera hears RVPA governance rewrite and proposed paramedic tax to equalize rates across members
Summary
Fire and town staff presented proposed amendments to the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority JPA and a four-year parcel tax plan aimed at equalizing per-parcel paramedic taxes across member jurisdictions; the presentation was informational and council will consider formal approval at the June 2 meeting.
Corte Madera officials received an informational presentation May 19 on proposed amendments to the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority (RVPA) joint-powers agreement and a companion paramedic parcel tax measure scheduled for the November ballot.
Fire Chief Ruben Martin and RVPA staff described a governance rewrite intended to modernize a 1982 JPA, centralize finance and billing, clarify voting and membership procedures and create uniform procurement and billing policies across the RVPA’s member agencies. Chief Martin described inequities under the current structure: Corte Madera residents pay a lower paramedic parcel tax than many neighboring jurisdictions and the RVPA has used different billing companies and rates across agencies.
To address those disparities, staff and consultants proposed a phased tax-equalization over one four-year ballot cycle (described to council as the 2027–2031 cycle). Under the proposal Corte Madera’s parcel rate would increase to approach parity with other RVPA members over the cycle, while other jurisdictions would implement smaller annual increases; staff said the proposal includes mechanisms to return surplus revenues once rates are equalized.
Chief Martin said the RVPA board approved the JPA amendment language April 20 and that each member agency would consider the JPA and ballot measure in the coming weeks. He described a July–June timeline for contract implementation tied to the tax cycle and said the RVPA intends the revised JPA and tax measure to take effect in fiscal year 2027–28 if approved by member agencies and voters.
Council members asked about: how surplus/dividends would be calculated and allocated; whether cost analyses of the two existing ambulance operations (Ross-based medic and the Central Marin Fire Authority ambulance) have been completed (staff said a cost-analysis is in process); payroll and reimbursement cadence under a centralized finance model; and protections to ensure no agency is made worse off by the transition. Staff said the RVPA intends that members be “made whole” and described provisions that would avoid dividends until tax rates are equalized.
No council action was taken; staff asked whether the council wanted the JPA amendment placed on the consent calendar for the June 2 meeting and to schedule the tax measure for a public hearing. Council discussion generally supported bringing the amendments and ballot measure back for formal consideration, with requests for a high-level cost analysis prior to final approval.
What’s next: Staff expects to return June 2 with materials to place the JPA amendment on the consent calendar and to open the public hearing for the ballot measure. Council members requested staff-provided cost comparisons and clarified reimbursement and contract-timing details before action.
