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Fire Chief Peter Lucerelli
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The November ballot in Bellevue will contain a provision to pass a levy to support Medic One services in the Bellevue area. Fire Chief Peter Lucerelli appeared before the group to shed some light on the issue. "I'm prohibited from taking sides in these types of funding issues, so my visit today is to simply tell you about the levy so you'll be aware when you vote."
Medic One in Bellevue was started years ago by a grassroots movement and lots of volunteers. During the last 40 years, the service has been strongly supported by a majority of voters, passing the operations levy every four years. In 1997, the measure failed because of a negative vote from voters in the southern part of the district. The vote must receive a 60% majority and be validated by a turnout set by the last general election.
The Chief said the levy rate would be reduced from .29 cents to .25 cents per $1,000 valuation. The levy covers services offered by EMS from the City of Bellevue. "This is not a new tax, it is a renewal of a tax already in existence," Lucerelli said. "You should know that the Bellevue EMS has one of the highest 'save rates' of patients suffering from heart attacks. Stats show a 41% save rate, while New York can claim only a 4% rate."
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