EMS vote should be yes

Health care reform and the consequences of the new health care legislation remains a topic of vigorous discussion, often with an equal measure of hope, concern and uncertainty. On the April 27 ballot is an issue to vote for that is as close as we can come to guaranteeing a high-quality emergency medical response at a bargain price.

The Spokane Fire Department levy will cost property owners only 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. Even for those with high-end homes, the resulting cost to support our emergency responders is minor in comparison to the cost of almost any other type of health care we might need. The proposed levy does not represent an increase, but rather a renewal of the levy currently in place that will expire at the end of this year.

This Spokane city EMS levy supports our EMS system which puts a highly trained emergency responder, in a manner of minutes, on your doorstep at the time of your emergency call. There is absolutely no less expensive nor more valuable medical care than that which this levy supports. I encourage you to vote yes for EMS on April 27!

James M. Nania, M.D.

Spokane