Laguna Beach May Charge Visitors for Paramedic Fees
Searching for ways to cut costs and raise money, the City Council has given preliminary approval to an ordinance that would allow the city’s Fire Department to charge out-of-towners for paramedic services.
If the plan gains final approval on June 1, Laguna Beach will become the only city in Orange County to charge non-residents only for first aid and advanced life support services, Deputy Fire Chief Rich Dewberry said.
All other cities either do not have a fee or charge residents a “subscription fee” of $20 to $40 a month and then charge non-residents at the time of service, he said.
In Laguna Beach, the emergency services fees could generate up to $30,000 each year, according to a report to the City Council, which unanimously endorsed the plan Tuesday.
About one-third of the city’s calls for emergency services come from non-residents, according to the report.
“It’s not a moneymaker,” Councilwoman Kathleen Blackburn said. “It’s recouping the loss we’ve incurred by serving people from outside our community.”
The cost will likely be $200 for first aid and $300 for paramedic services, Dewberry said.
Dewberry said the city chose not to ask residents to pay a fee because they already pay so much in property taxes.
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