Fiscal Court passes tax plan to fund ambulance service

No one likes seeing their bills increase due to new taxes, but sometimes it’s the only option. The Twin Cities Ambulance Service was formed to provide the area with ambulance services, but that service would have to be funded by the community itself.

After years of instituting an optional membership which was added to the water bills of those who opted in, it has become very clear that this is no longer a viable option.

 Fulton County Fiscal Court met for its monthly meeting recently with Judge Executive Jim Martin, magistrates Butch Busby, Matt Moss, Wade Adams and Milton Dean present. Also present were April Gallimore, county attorney Amanda Major, county Clerk Naomi Jones, Fulton County Sheriff Chad Parker, county treasurer Christian Lattus, Hickman City Manager Robert Griggs, KenTenn EMS board chairman Pete Algee, Ken Tenn EMS staff Ashley Fortner and Jordan Jones , and several concerned Fulton County residents.

Once the meeting had been opened with prayer and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, the magistrates moved through several actions, which will be reported on in an upcoming edition of the Current. 

The most urgent item of the meeting concerned Fulton County’s ambulance service, Ken Tenn EMS, which currently faces insolvency due to a gross lack of subscriptions. The issue debated by the county officials advanced a proposal for a 10-cent property tax levy per $100 valuation, paired with the existing $204 household membership fee. For homes valued at $204,000 or more, this tax would replace the proposed fee.

“If your house is valued at $100,000, you’d pay about $100 in taxes and $104 on your water bill,” Judge Martin explained.

In using this plan, everyone pays the same amount, but everyone will pay for the service. Until this point, residents had the choice to opt in by paying a small membership fee. By implementing this tax, the ambulance service would generate the much-needed funding, but some residents feel like they should have the option.

Some magistrates voiced unease and it felt unfair. Adams said, “It’s hard to look someone in the eye and say, ‘you pay, but your neighbor doesn’t.’”

While those with property valued $204,000 would technically be paying the same amount for the service through their property taxation, for many residents who live paycheck to paycheck or on a fixed-income, seeing a tax appear on their water bill could cause personal budgeting issues. 

Algee said he understands this concern but noted, “If you’ve ever needed an ambulance, you know how vital it is.” True, some magistrates conceded, but Adams pointed out that many residents have never used an ambulance at all, where some call for an ambulance multiple times every year.

Concerned residents agreed and expressed the feeling that they would be paying for someone else’s ambulance bill when they may never need one at all.  One resident said she personally knows the value of having a local ambulance service after having a sudden need for it for a sick family member. 

Algee said he knows the value of the service after he needed one. He said that he couldn’t get out of bed, much less drive to the hospital. He said he probably wouldn’t be here now. Looking ahead, implementing this tax change would raise about $163,000 annually, which officials admitted may only cover one year’s shortfall. However, Martin said they can always go back after one year if the magistrates choose to.

The Court approved the first reading of the ordinance by the closest of margins, with a second scheduled within 30 days. The 3-2 vote, approved the new tax was cast with Judge Martin, Milton Dean and Butch Busby voting in favor and magistrates Wade Adams and Matt Moss voting against.

(Editor’s Note: With limited space and coverage of the 2025 Banana Festival, other actions taken by the Fulton County Fiscal Court will be fully covered in an upcoming edition of The Current.)