Tax bill doesn't give the whole story on EMS

Have you received your property tax statement? They don't tell the story, only the results of a budget placed by various departments for the county commissioners to put their stamp of approval to tax the property owner.

One outstanding department is the EMS. I am not against EMS, just the way it was initiated. About four years ago, EMS was privately owned by Big Sky, which bought it from Fred Hartman. At the time, there were ambulance services at Clark Fork, Schweitzer, Sagle, Priest River and Priest Lake.

Sandpoint was covered by Mr. Hartman, then Big Sky came in. It wasn't satisfied with Sandpoint as its coverage area, so it enlarged. A substantial investment plus many person problems with Big Sky led to the then-county commissioners calling an emergency as they (Big Sky) covered Sandpoint and the city council and the mayor did not put the now defunct ambulance service into the city fire or police department. So the county taxpayers are now taxed.

We are being taxed because Sandpoint would not take the needs of its citizen's safety, but put the issue on Bonner County property owners. I say that is wrong.

Salaries $1,068,338; retirement, $108,434; Social Security, $81,728; life insurance $4,062; medical insurance, $192,672; state unemployment, $2,000; workers compensation insurance $45,850. Then there are expenses: $921,8000, then capital outlay $196,175. So what have we gained? $2,621,059 in four years and it's just the beginning.

When privately owned, it was paid for by one's insurance or if a welfare case, through the county budget on charity, another taxing property owners. So I have been called a watch dog. So be it. I'll keep watching.

MARJORIE KINNE

Bonner County