THE VALLEJO WEEKLY VOLUME 8, ISSUE 24 | SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
MAYOR’S MESSAGE Hello Vallejo, I’ve been receiving a lot of calls and emails regarding “First Responder Fees.” I’d like to address our community’s concerns about these fees.
On May 9, 2017, the First Responder Fees were brought to Council by former Vallejo Fire Chief, Jack MacArthur, as a way of recovering expenses of our paramedic services. The Council unanimously voted to approve the fee. There are a lot of medical supplies that are used on paramedic calls, and most of the cost was borne by the City. Under Section 13916 of the California Health and Safety Code, First Responder fees can be recovered. The fees go towards the replacement of supplies and enhance the services the fire department provides. The use of property taxes is designed to fund fire suppression and basic medical care only. However, communities have come to expect and receive advanced levels of paramedic care, and it is an essential public service. Vallejo was the only city in Solano County that did not impose a first responders fee. During the 2017 Council meeting, I also learned that we were one of the few municipalities in the state that did not charge. That said, the letter our residents who received care, was poorly crafted. I want to express that the letter IS NOT a bill. It is merely a courtesy notice of charges, intended to be billed to and paid for by your