Mayor urges Aliceville residents to back $10 vehicle-tag fee to support ambulance service

The Mayor of Aliceville urged residents to vote yes on a proposed $10 vehicle-tag fee that he said would generate roughly $220,000 for Pickens County ambulance services and improve local emergency response.

The mayor framed the fee as a modest, once-a-year contribution ‘‘toward saving a life,’’ and asked for record turnout from Aliceville’s precinct (he cited a local turnout pool of about 1,600–1,700 voters). ‘‘Look at this $10 assessment…look at it as your $10 towards saving a life,’’ he said.

Why it matters: The mayor said Pickens County EMS faces a structural funding gap. He estimated annual operating costs for the ambulance service at about $300,000–$350,000 and explained the $10 tag will not fully close that gap; reimbursements and other revenues would also be necessary. He cautioned residents that the service still needs additional funding for 24-hour coverage and staffing.

Budget context: The mayor described payroll and coverage realities, saying maintaining two trucks for countywide response requires a payroll on the order of ‘‘$50,000 to $60,000’’ per month. He also explained that some previously collected tax revenue designated for a hospital ER wing continues to go to bond payments even after that hospital closed, limiting the reallocation of those funds to EMS.

Operational details: The mayor said Pickens County EMS now operates from two locations (north and south ends of the county) to reduce response times compared with the previous single-ambulance model based in Carrollton. He emphasized the fee applies to cars and is not collected by Aliceville for city use: ‘‘it’s not going in Aliceville’s pocket…this money is only going for the ambulance service.’’

Claims and trade-offs: He acknowledged the fee would not fully fund EMS and described potential shortfalls, while urging voters to consider the practical risks of losing ambulance coverage: ‘‘If the ambulance leaves here, we will be in trouble.’’ He also urged residents not to rely on private transport in emergencies, saying ambulance care is often needed on scene.

Next steps: The mayor asked residents to vote, promote turnout and follow up with questions on his social media. He did not announce a formal council action or a specific election date in the livestream. The mayor invited continued public discussion and said staff and county officials would need to manage the remaining funding gap should the fee pass.

Ending: The mayor closed by repeating his appeal for civic participation and asking residents to ‘‘tell somebody to vote yes’’ for the ambulance tag while promising to answer follow-up questions online.