City of Austin budget hits EMS

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Austin City Council approves $2 billion-plus budget

Updated: 9/8/2008 12:11:54 PM

By: Reagan Hackleman

It took only a few hours for Austin's City Council to approve a $2.8

billion budget Monday morning.

Homeowners will see a tax rate of 40.12 cents per $100 assessed valuation.

That equals a $760 tax bill for a house worth $189,547.

Due to the state of the economy, the 2009 budget will force many departments

to tighten their belts.

In the world of a paramedic, every second counts.

" Right now we have a response goal of 90-percent of the time

getting to a Priority 1 call -- which are the most severe calls -- in

less than 10 minutes, " Austin- County EMS Union (ATCEMS Union) Vice

President Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick said they're at 87 percent now, and next year they will fall

even shorter of their goal. The reason is that there wasn't enough money in the

2009 budget for an EMS cadet class.

" I know the city had some tough decisions to make. They feel they made the

right one by not adding additional EMS resources; I'll have to respectfully

disagree with them, " Fitzpatrick said.

Council Member Mike ez agrees with the union and believes EMS will see

an increase in response times. But, the _City of Austin_

(http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/) was facing a $25 million budget shortfall, and

each department had

to find savings.

EMS saved money by cutting seven new paramedic positions and a new

ambulance.

" It's a million dollars so where else do you pull that million if

you want to add that back? " ez asked. " But I'm hopeful that we'll be

able to not wait until next year to bring it back on line. "

ATCEMS Union said that extra unit is needed to handle the estimated

6,000-plus more calls they expect to handle next year alone. But, as it stands

now,

they won't be getting the additional help.

" It's an additional burden to our paramedics, which means we don't get to

provide the service to the citizens that they pay and that they deserve, "

Fitzpatrick said.

Other department will feel the pinch as well.

<VBAR>Austin Parks and Recreation Department will not fill 24 open

The city's libraries will close one day a week in order to improve library

security and cleanliness.

Austin Water Utility customers will see a $4.25 increase in their bills per

month.

Trash customers will also see an increase in their monthly trash collection

fee.

Not everything is a loss though; the Austin Police Department will add 24

new officers to the force, and city employees will see a modest 2.5 percent

salary increase.

The 2009 budget goes into effect Oct.1.