West Chester committee weighs new EMS/public-safety tax to shore up ambulance funding

The West Chester Finance & Revenue Committee on June 10 discussed drafting an ordinance to create an EMS or public-safety tax to support ambulance and other emergency response services.

Miss Barbanti, presenting the finance packet, said she had “received clarification from Kristen Camp’s office” that while Pennsylvania borough code limits EMS millage to a half-mill, West Chester’s home-rule status gives it broader authority to set the rate and to define eligible uses. Using borough data, Barbanti said the average assessed residential value was $182,145, which she used to calculate a borough real-estate tax example of $1,473.55. She said the borough’s current EMS allocation equates to about $69 per homeowner; at 0.45 mills that figure would be about $82 and at 0.50 mills about $91.

Why it matters: Committee members said the tax could produce a dedicated revenue stream to avoid repeatedly drawing on the general fund for ambulance shortfalls. Several members emphasized the need to define eligible recipients and allocation percentages in ordinance language so the revenue would be distributed transparently among ambulance, rescue, quick-response and other named services.

Residents and councilors pressed for specifics and safeguards. Nicole Shimoney (Ward 4505) asked, “Is the idea then this now would this be pulled out and then we’d raise taxes?” Barbanti and staff responded that the fee would be set up as a separate allocation but that, depending on how millage allocations are adjusted, total property-tax bills could change; she agreed to produce tables showing impacts under different allocation scenarios.

Several councilors asked whether unused funds would roll over and whether the borough could suspend the tax if revenue accumulated beyond needs; staff said suspension or changes could be made by ordinance and recommended writing rollover or suspension rules into any ordinance.

Lisa Karns, a resident, said she was surprised to learn the list of eligible uses included special operations or SWAT and asked to see the solicitor’s detailed list; staff agreed to provide the full list from Kristen Camp’s office.

Next steps: Committee members instructed staff to have Solicitor Kristen Camp draft an ordinance for review at the next meeting that would specify eligible uses and how revenue would be allocated. No formal vote to adopt a tax was taken; the discussion will return with a draft ordinance and detailed resident-impact tables.