01/15/2026
đź“Ł Sales Tax Proposal Q&A Wednesday đź“Ł
Q: How does the proposed use (sales) tax relate to ambulance response time?
A: Ambulance response time is directly affected by whether EMS crews are staffed in-house and on duty 24 hours a day. For the Howard County ambulance system, this means maintaining two, 2 person EMS crews physically on duty at the station at all times, so an ambulance can respond immediately when a call is received.
Maintaining in-house staffing requires sufficient personnel to cover:
• 24-hour shifts across all days of the year
• Time off for training, leave, and required certifications
• Coverage during overlapping or back-to-back emergency calls
When staffing levels are not sufficient to keep crews in-house around the clock, response times may be affected due to delays in assembling a crew or limited availability during high-demand periods.
The use sales tax proposal addresses how ambulance services are funded. If approved, Missouri law requires a mandatory property tax rollback, and the district’s funding structure would shift to a combination of sales and property tax revenue. The district’s funding structure is directly connected to how staffing is maintained to support response capability.
đź“Ś Key Fact: Maintaining two, 2-person EMS crews in-house 24/7 supports consistent response times and depends on adequate staffing resources.
This post is for educational purposes only. The Howard County Ambulance District does not advocate for or against any ballot measure.
