The Kossuth County Board of Supervisors this week gave the go ahead to explore making Emergency Medical Services and essential service in the county.
A bill passed in the spring by the Iowa Legislature and signed by the Governor, made changes in Iowa Law that make it more favorable for counties to make providing ambulance and first responders an essential service and allowing them to levy a tax for them.
The declaration of EMS as an essential service is decided by voters through a county wide referendum.
Under the new law, a county could levy up to 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, impose a 1% local income surtax and/or use existing local option sales tax dollars to fund EMS.