[Md-sligo] FW: An Important Message from County Executive Ike Leggett

Wed Oct 27 18:30:56 UTC 2010

FYI

Yasmin Reyazuddin 

Aging & Disability Services 

Montgomery County Government 

Department of Health & Human Services 

401 Hungerford Drive (3rd floor) 

Rockville MD 20850 

240-777-0311 (MC311) 

240-777-1556 (personal) 

240-777-1495 (fax) 

office hours 8:30 am 5:00 pm 

Languages English, Hindi, Urdu, Braille 

This message may contain protected health information or other
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any copies of this material. 

Thank you.

-----Original Message-----
From: MCG eSubscription [mailto:NoReply at eSub.montgomerycountymd.gov] 
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 2:17 PM
To: Reyazuddin, Yasmin
Subject: An Important Message from County Executive Ike Leggett

emblem<http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/images/MC_emblem_RGB.pn
g> 

October 28, 2010

Dear County Resident:

I want to inform you of an important issue facing the County that could
have an adverse impact on every County resident. 

Many of you are aware that the November ballot will contain County
Question A. The Question gives voters the opportunity to decide whether
County Council Bill 13-10: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Transport
Fee, which passed in May, should remain law. 

Under the law, the County would be allowed to recover ambulance
transport costs from premiums already paid to insurance companies,
Medicare, and Medicaid -- $14 million this year and $170 million over
the next 10 years. All revenues would be dedicated, by law, to
strengthen our Fire & Rescue Service. No County resident will ever get a
bill for ambulance transport, co-pays or deductibles -- whether they
have insurance or not. 

The Montgomery Fire & Rescue Service will continue to serve anybody in
need, regardless of ability to pay - whether rich or poor or in-between,
whether County resident or not. Just like now. Nothing will change -
except that our Fire & Rescue Service will have more resources in meet
critical future needs for staffing, equipment, and to improve EMS
response times.

Nearly every jurisdiction in the Washington region collects millions of
dollars in ambulance reimbursements from insurance companies, Medicare,
and Medicaid - with no adverse effects. (Click here to see the
Washington Post story on Thursday, "Area Fire Chiefs Back Ambulance Fee:
911 Calls Unaffected"
<http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/pio/ems/pdfs/wp_metro_ems.pdf
> .) 

Our neighbors are using those resources to save lives - and Montgomery
County should do the same. We cannot afford to leave this money on the
table. 

The League of Women Voters of Montgomery County agrees. So too does the
Montgomery County Fire Fighters and Paramedics, Local 1664. Click here
to see editorials in the Washington Post
<http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Content/pio/EMS/pdfs/The_case_for_WP_
10-4-2010.pdf>  and in The Gazette
<http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Content/pio/EMS/pdfs/Time_is_right_ga
zette_12-9-2009.pdf>  newspapers supporting County ambulance
reimbursement.

There are basically three choices:

1.	Approve ambulance reimbursement from insurance companies,
Medicare, and Medicaid to bring in $14 million this year and $170
million over the next ten years; 
2.	Reduce critical County services, including public safety; or 
3.	Increase taxes. 

I choose the first option. It just makes sense.

As I travel around the County, I meet many residents who have asked for
facts and accurate information on the EMS Transport Fee. For more
information, you can go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/emstransportfee.

Whatever your perspective, please vote in the upcoming general elections
as they are critical to our ability to maintain Montgomery County as the
special place it is today to live, work, play, and age with dignity. In
addition to voting in person on Tuesday, November 2 from 7 a.m. to 8
p.m. at your polling location
<http://images.myngp.com/LinkTracker.aspx?crypt=IVi0ax2%2b6UBSinc%2fCPYa
Kera6wX9d%2fllvqRp3SoQhAZCmrhN5nVUz8GiA%2fm5g6%2bWEP1KoCcGSJoIQ3xNVFTdmL
e%2fZUuAE1QJ2NvTvRQI8b3fy4DfWV5q52RvuTC%2bUv3PUA2uJ%2f92jsM1lz7FEAwR5eJO
Onr1IYraOskJgcCBfI8%3d> , you may vote by absentee ballot. Absentee
ballot request forms can be downloaded here
<http://images.myngp.com/LinkTracker.aspx?crypt=IVi0ax2%2b6UBSinc%2fCPYa
KZ8PF9DSGltlTK2sJO8AuZ2f0W7Ii9ZdqKVZvls5zO9m6urbDmz7%2f1Gf1nhSynOQtNfOXo
LtWzIU2vui7LN55U8TD8klAW0tnsr3a10pEFCaq6SuV8eYTF9sEc80L%2b%2bg30YJltHVtk
aBUhQiySWvuKzbuhiMEFskke9k4S2Z62k9%2bTB6x2vOj6I%3d>  and must be
returned by October 26, 2010. 

This year, for the first time, you may cast your vote at any one of the
Early Voting Centers
<http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/elections/2010GubernatorialEl
ection/EarlyVoting/EarlyVotingSites.asp>  inthe County between Friday,
October 22 and Thursday, October 28 from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. (except
Sunday, October 24). I urge you to consider joining the thousands of
County voters who will be taking advantage of this highly efficient
means of carrying out our civic duty.

Sincerely,

signature<http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Content/EXEC/images/leggett_
sig.gif> 

Ike Leggett
County Executive

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